Health Care IT Spending and Economic Realities

Hospitals and health systems are taking measured but deliberate action to cope with the nation’s financial crisis, including delaying capital projects, cutting capital and operating budgets, and laying off workers. While health information technology budgets are not escaping cutbacks, a survey of 144 chief information officers and 27 chief financial officers and vice-presidents of finance at hospitals of all sizes across the country makes it clear that health IT remains a strategic imperative for hospitals. Many providers see health IT as critical to achieving greater operating efficiencies in addition to other organizational goals such as improved patient safety. As a result, electronic medical records (EMRs), electronic health records (EHRs,) computerized provider order entry (CPOE), and electronic medication management remain high-priority projects for about half or more of all respondents.

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