Hospitals and Health Systems Moving Ahead on EHR Deployment But Many Are Doubtful on Funding, KPMG Poll Finds

While almost half of business administrators at hospitals or health systems say they are more than half way to completing full electronic health record (EHR) system deployment, many have doubts about the level of funding their organizations have planned to support it, according to the results of a poll conducted by KPMG LLP, the U.S. audit, tax and advisory services firm.

Forty nine percent of hospital and health system business leaders who participated in a KPMG poll last month said they were more than 50 percent of the way to completing EHR deployment.

At the same time, the survey also found that 48 percent of health system business leaders said they are only somewhat comfortable with the level of budgeting their organization has planned for EHR deployment. Nine percent said they weren't comfortable at all while 18 percent said they were unsure. Only 25 percent said they were very comfortable.

"There is a level of uneasiness as to whether there is adequate funding to complete these projects," said Gary Anthony, principal with KPMG Healthcare. "In most organizations, EHR deployment will most likely be one of the most transformational projects that they've ever undertaken, as well as one of the largest investments outside of the construction of a new hospital they've ever made. Yet, many organizations view EHR as just an IT project and that may be why we are seeing multiple extensions to scope, timeline and budget."

Adds Jerry Howell, principal with KPMG Healthcare, "EHR deployment isn't an end point. It's an important step in an organization's journey to automate the clinical functions within the hospital or health system and improvement to quality and patient safety. There needs to be continued focus on resourcing and having the correct sponsorship and commitment to deploy an EHR and to continue to support and use it."

In terms of resource strategies used to complete EHR deployment, 46 percent of hospital and health system leaders indicated that they are using a multiple resource strategy. This was followed by leveraging existing staff (16 percent); hiring new or additional staff (13 percent) and securing third party assistance (10 percent). Fifteen percent said they didn't know.

In other findings, when asked if their organization had a mobility access strategy that provides clinicians and patients with 'anywhere' access to EHRs/data, about half the leaders said they didn't know.

The KPMG Healthcare & Pharmaceutical Institute conducted a webcast on EHR deployment best practices in May. The results reflect responses from more than 220 hospital and health system administrators who self selected to participate in the webcast poll. Respondents consisted of senior members of these organizations who have awareness of, or responsibility for, their organizations' IT and finance programs. A replay of the webcast can be accessed via the following link: http://www.kpmginstitutes.com/healthcare-pharma-institute/events/ehr-implementation-webcast.aspx

The KPMG Healthcare & Pharmaceutical Institute ( www.kpmghealthcarepharmainstitute.com ) provides a forum for healthcare business leaders to gain insight into emerging issues, consider approaches to help balance risk and controls and improve performance, and further explore the accelerating transformation within the healthcare industry, both domestically and globally.

About KPMG LLP KPMG LLP, the audit, tax and advisory firm ( www.kpmg.com/us ), is the U.S. member firm of KPMG International Cooperative ("KPMG International.") KPMG International's member firms have 145,000 people, including more than 8,000 partners, in 152 countries.

Contact: Laura Sheridan PowersKPMG LLP212 872 [email protected]