CIOs are conducting multifaceted strategies to ensure that their EHR systems not only meet current needs but also evolve to address future healthcare demands and technological advancements.
In a recent survey conducted by Sage Growth, it was revealed that 60% of healthcare C-suites identify EHR optimization as their top technology initiative for the year. However, a significant gap exists between expectations and reality, as only 24% of respondents believe their current EHR lives up to vendor promises "very well." Additionally, a mere 17% strongly agree that their existing EHR will adequately meet their future needs.
CIOs are being tasked with thinking about how to enhance their EHR systems to meet the long-term needs of their organization.
Brett Mello, CIO of Kingman (Ariz.) Regional Medical Center, told Becker's he believes its Meditech EHR will meet current and future needs, but that the organization is redoubling efforts in 2024 to optimize the system to better serve the organization.
"This includes using Zynx Knowledge Analyzer to assess and improve our order sets, reviewing our workflows to improve patient throughput and advancing data analytics to drive better decision-making," he said. "We are also continuing our work to consolidate disparate systems into a single platform to simplify the flow of patient information across the continuum of care and streamline development efforts."
Kingman is also making investments in its infrastructure to ensure its EHR system performs quickly, reliably and securely.
"This foundational, back-to-basics strategy is our primary focus for the year so that we may entertain higher value initiatives, especially for our clinicians, in the coming years," he said.
Zafar Chaudry, MD, chief digital officer and CIO of Seattle Children's, also outlined his organization's approach in preparing its EHR for the future.
"To prepare for the evolving EMR landscape, Seattle Children's is looking at multiple areas — flexibility and interoperability to ensure we can seamlessly exchange data with other healthcare technologies, future tools, and public health agencies," he told Becker's.
A shift to a modular architecture is also underway at Seattle Children's so that the organization can facilitate the easy addition or removal of functionalities.
Dr. Chaudry said investments in advanced analytics capabilities outside of the EHR, including AI and predictive analytics, are being made for deeper insights as well as increasing its use of cloud technology for scalability, accessibility and disaster recovery capabilities.