Study: Hospitals Need More I.T. Staff

HDM Breaking News, April 21, 2008

Hospitals in the United States will need nearly 41,000 additional information technology professionals--38% more than now--as they move to higher levels of I.T. adoption, according to a new study.

The study from the Oregon Health and Science University was presented last week at a Capitol Hill meeting of the Steering Committee on Telehealth and Healthcare Informatics, comprising interested members of Congress. The meeting was moderated by Rep. David Wu (D-Ore.), sponsor of legislation to authorize nearly $100 million in grants over four years to help increase the number of students pursuing degrees in health I.T. The legislation, H.B. 1467, passed the House last June but has not moved through the Senate.

Study authors used hospital-supplied data from the HIMSS Analytics Database of the Healthcare Information Management and Systems Society in Chicago. The data from 1,318 hospitals included the ratio of I.T. employees per hospital bed, which varies depending on the level of I.T. adoption. Applying the findings to all hospitals in the country, the study concluded that the nation’s hospitals have 108,390 full-time equivalent employees but need 40,784 more for all hospitals to reach a Stage 6 level of automation, the highest level.

For text of the study, click here.

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