Behind the EHR: Healthcare’s hidden heroes of patient experience

What 200+ healthcare IT leaders say about the state of healthcare IT

Asked to look ahead five years and consider what their roles will look like, the 224 healthcare IT professionals we recently surveyed had a lot to say.

Healthcare IT leaders will need to “be knowledgeable in both technology and financial matters of the organization for better decision-making for the overall growth of the organization.”

They’ll be the one “who cares about technology meeting the needs of the business, improves the quality of care provided to patients served, and improves provider and patient experience.”

And they view IT as a whole as the department that “enhances the ability of the hospital to manage revenue, and enhances the relationship between doctors and clients.”

Here’s the one thing that came through loud and clear in our survey: you care, deeply, about how your work impacts patient experiences. In fact, the majority of those surveyed said that feeling like what they do actually makes a difference is one of the best parts of their job.

What does that growing role in patient experience mean for the job itself? Where are your peers focusing? What’s on their minds, and where do they think they can bring more value?

Here are the highlights from our new report, “Behind the EHR: Healthcare’s hidden heroes of patient experience.”

IT professionals are thinking much more about business outcomes, and they’re being measured against them.

  • 98% said improving the patient experience is important to how their roles and responsibilities are measured.
  • Patient collection rates matter. 90% said patient collections is a metric they are measured on.

But they’re somewhat hamstrung when it comes to delivering on those mandates.

  • They’re short-staffed. 57% said their department is understaffed, and because of this, they’ve had to put off new projects, look for new tools or outsource projects they would normally handle in house. They’ve also been forced to say no to asks they normally would have no problem handling.
  • Security is a concern. 75% said their organization needs to invest more in payment security to ensure PCI compliance.
  • EHR management is challenging. Tied for first in terms of greatest technical challenges are upgrading and delivering ROI, followed by moving to a new EHR or consolidating systems. Staffing impacts EHR system management, they said, and they’re also concerned with integration and security.

As you hone your role as “champion, integrator, thought leader and a great communicator,” and seek to “improve the patient care experience to eliminate lost revenue opportunities” (in our respondents’ words) you may find some of the findings and advice from our survey respondents helpful.

View our free report to learn more about:

  • How IT professionals are looking at their expanding role in patient experience
  • In what ways EHR systems are working, and where they need work
  • Some of the areas where they think their organization is falling short, including security, PCI compliance
  • What criteria they weigh when looking at third-party tools and enhancements to the EHR

Behind the EHR: Healthcare’s hidden heroes of patient experience

What 200+ healthcare IT leaders say about the state of healthcare IT