2011 Health Care IT Survey

With 2011 upon us, the race is on for hospitals nationwide to deploy electronic medical records (EMRs), meet meaningful use criteria and earn a coveted part of the stimulus fund the government set aside for implementing health information technology. Taking the necessary steps to meet meaningful use criteria is a top priority for healthcare organizations. One of the biggest challenges in achieving meaningful use is physician adoption of EMRs. With 48 percent of healthcare executives believing password management issues slow physician adoption of EMR, it is clear that ensuring quick and easy access to patient data is a must.

Imprivata’s North American health care survey, highlighted in this slideshow, is focused on identifying technology trends relating to the meaningful use of EMRs, secure access to protected health information (PHI), and the impact of new technology on clinician workflow and improved patient outcomes. The online survey was conducted via SurveyMonkey, an online survey services provider, and polled nearly 500 health care IT decision makers and executives.

Click through for results from Imprivata's 2011 Health Care IT Survey.

An overwhelming 75 percent responded that meeting meaningful use of EMR is their top budget priority for 2011 IT investments.

The greatest challenges organizations face in terms of meeting stage 1 meaningful use are physician adoption of EMR and cost of implementation.

48.2 percent of respondents believe that password management issues are slowing down physician adoption of EMRs.

The time it takes to access EMRs plays a significant role in both physician satisfaction and overall patient care, according to the majority of respondents. Quick and easy access to EMRs is an important factor in facilitating clinician adoption.

Physicians are already accessing EMRs remotely. 55 percent of respondents reported that at least 26 percent of their physicians are accessing EMRs remotely.

The majority of respondents have currently deployed personal devices for physicians, or have plans to deploy in 2011 or 2012.

Nearly 48% of IT executives surveyed plan to support or are already supporting personal physician devices in 2011.

49 percent of respondents currently have VDI environments (23 percent) or have active plans (26 percent) to implement a VDI environment. Only 22.5 percent of respondents answered that they have no plans to implement VDI.