Hospital executives agree that having a strong digital health strategy is important to achieving key objectives, but many struggle to efficiently evaluate and implement digital health products and services, according to a report released April 26 by digital health marketplace Panda Health.
Panda Health surveyed 100 hospital executives in February about their experiences and attitudes regarding new technology. Twenty-four respondents were CFOs, 21 were CIOs or chief technology officers, 18 were CEOs, 17 were chief medical officers and 11 were COOs. The remaining respondents' titles were chief medical information officer, chief strategy officer, chief innovation officer and chief procurement officer.
Here are five key stats from the report:
- Fifty-five percent of hospital executives receive more than 11 calls and emails from digital health vendors per week. Thirty-five percent receive more than 26 and 8 percent receive more than 51.
- Forty-five percent of hospital executives said these calls and emails never result in their organization adopting the technology. Half of respondents said the calls and emails result in their organization adopting the technology 1 to 2 percent of the time, and 5 percent said 3 to 5 percent of the time.
- Ninety-five percent of hospital executives said it is challenging to narrow the list of digital health products to evaluate.
- Sixty-six percent of hospital executives said the technology implementation process, from search initiation to contract finalization, usually takes six months or more. That includes 20 percent who said it takes more than a year.
- Once new technology is implemented, fewer than 25 percent of respondents said they are confident it is the best technology for their health system's needs.