A study conducted by the College of Healthcare Information Management Executives suggests staffing shortages in healthcare information technology can put health IT projects at risk and become a barrier to successfully implementing electronic health records, according to a CHIME news release.
CHIME surveyed and received responses from 182 chief information officers that are a part of the organizations. Seventy percent of the CIOs who responded to the survey reported their healthcare organizations lacked the staffing needed to implement health IT. Of the total number of CIO respondents, 51 percent reported staffing deficiencies could possibly affect their chances of successfully implementing an EHR system, thereby affecting their chance of receiving stimulus funding for demonstrating meaningful use of the technology. Another 10 percent reported staffing deficiencies would definitely affect their chances.
To compensate for a shortage in the health IT workforce, CIOs have reported they have turned to other strategies to ensure successful implementation of EHRs, such as third-party consultants, hiring and training from within and using recruiters to find qualified staff.
Read the CHIME news release about its survey on deficiencies in health IT.
Read other coverage about CHIME:
- CHIME and ONC Pledge Support to Regional Extension Centers
- Survey Suggests CIOs "Cautiously Optimistic" About Qualifying for Stimulus Funds Under HITECH Act
CHIME surveyed and received responses from 182 chief information officers that are a part of the organizations. Seventy percent of the CIOs who responded to the survey reported their healthcare organizations lacked the staffing needed to implement health IT. Of the total number of CIO respondents, 51 percent reported staffing deficiencies could possibly affect their chances of successfully implementing an EHR system, thereby affecting their chance of receiving stimulus funding for demonstrating meaningful use of the technology. Another 10 percent reported staffing deficiencies would definitely affect their chances.
To compensate for a shortage in the health IT workforce, CIOs have reported they have turned to other strategies to ensure successful implementation of EHRs, such as third-party consultants, hiring and training from within and using recruiters to find qualified staff.
Read the CHIME news release about its survey on deficiencies in health IT.
Read other coverage about CHIME:
- CHIME and ONC Pledge Support to Regional Extension Centers
- Survey Suggests CIOs "Cautiously Optimistic" About Qualifying for Stimulus Funds Under HITECH Act