New Data: What Execs Need to Know About Digital Transformation

Hospitals and health systems will need to develop a more proactive and innovative mindset and invest more money if they plan to develop and deploy cutting-edge tools such as artificial intelligence, machine learning and voice-based programs that will shape digital transformation. These are some of the key takeaways from a new HIMSS Media survey that illustrate what health care decision-makers need to know, their top innovation priorities and key security concerns around technology innovation.

Nearly two-thirds of the 180 qualified health care IT professionals surveyed said provider organizations will need to develop new tools and technology to effectively drive transformation. More than half the respondents said health care organizations will also need to invest in tools to drive technology transformation as opposed to applying existing technologies in new ways to drive transformation.

The top innovation priorities cited by survey respondents included operations, patient experience and technologies that can help organizations increase market share. These priorities beat out more clinically focused priorities such as developing new models of care, new treatments or improving the clinical experience.

But even as hospital executives focus on these crucial issues that could lead to increased business prospects and greater efficiency, they remain wary of security issues around technology innovation. Nearly 60 percent of respondents are concerned about privacy issues under HIPAA and nearly half are worried about a lack of security architecture for protecting personal health information. Tight security budgets and the limited pool of health IT talent resources were cited as key concerns by about 40 percent of the respondents.