The IT Haves And Have-Nots Of Healthcare Providers

A rift is cracking open between smaller health systems, the proverbial “have nots,” and large highly-capitalized hospital systems.  For those have nots, financial sustainability continues to be a struggle as IT costs pull more resources from other priorities, including investments in financial software, emerging patient care technologies and capital improvements, according to a new report from Black Book.

About 40 percent of those surveyed by Black Book said their organizations are so stretched from “misjudged EHR, HIE and patient portal expenses,” that they are postponing purchases of new revenue cycle management software until at least 2016.  Another group stands as the “haves”: the 41 percent of providers who reported good fiscal health and plan to move ahead with “next generation” revenue cycle management tools.  “Increased self-pay volumes, lack of pricing transparency, no patient financial responsibility/estimation technology, and other reimbursement challenges are driving many marginally performing healthcare organizations to the brink,” said Doug Brown, Managing Partner of Black Book...