Hospitals Ramp Up Capital Spending On IT

When I read in the Premier healthcare alliance's recent spring 2013 Economic Outlook that 43% of survey respondents indicated that their organization will make its biggest capital investment in healthcare information technology and telecommunications in 2013, up 21% from two years ago, I wasn't surprised.

In the HealthLeaders Media 2013 Industry Survey, 36% of the executive respondents said they expect major increases in IT spending over the next 3 years, and another 44% expect a minor increase. And at our most recent CFO Exchange, "clinical and information technology upgrades" was one of the top 3 spending priorities for the assembled CFOs.

Earlier this year, I spoke with CFOs at several large health systems around the country about their capital spending plans, and this was the theme I heard over and over.