Becker's recently asked ChatGPT and a real-life health system CIO the same question: "What will be the three biggest IT issues for hospitals and health systems in five years?"
Can you tell which answer belongs to which, er, entity?
Here is the first response:
"Five years from now, hospitals will continue to face pressures in revenue and margin while needing to maintain and improve high-quality care. 340b limitations will add additional challenges and payers will continue to advance in their own capabilities for determining appropriate care. Organizations will still be on an ongoing journey to value-based care, so data and analytics, population health, and a patient-first mindset will be necessary. Some will have gone through continuing mergers and acquisitions. Given this environment, the primary IT issues will largely be controlling expense growth, integrating and rationalizing platforms, and maturing data and analytics capabilities.
"As CFOs look to improve margin, IT spend will be a major area of focus. The software-as-a-service model sees continuing cost expansion that outpaces inflation, and CIOs will need to be cognizant of which services can be right-sized for the needs of the organization, including which services can be discontinued or replaced. As part of that, some tools may need to be removed from the environment or migrated to existing platforms to optimize spend. Group purchasing organizations may play a larger role in purchasing decisions, adding pressure and scale to reduce per capita application costs. Similarly, organizations with cloud-hosted systems will need to take a mindful approach of what services to run and when, considering ongoing maintenance and service costs as part of the total cost of ownership. Where possible, automation to eliminate rote tasks and support existing staff will demonstrate productivity improvements to the finance team.
"This will also lead to the need to improve integration of existing systems, even for those organizations that do not acquire new businesses. But for those that do go through some M&A activity, the IT portfolio will need to be right-sized for the new organization. It may offer an opportunity to re-architect the environment by selecting the best products for the new organization. Similarly, IT leaders will need to keep a close eye on portfolio "bloat" by maintaining and improving intake processes and thoughtful evaluation of new requests.
"Third, increasing payor sophistication and regulatory pressures around transparency will force a move towards maturity in data and analytics. CIOs will need to take a leadership role in organizational data literacy, with a view toward understanding how to operate more efficiently across the enterprise. It will not be enough simply to have a data warehouse, but also to help users understand how to access and process the insights needed to continually improve. As more data become available, it will also need to be surfaced to clinicians and patients, who will need this for care and for sharing with external parties. Proper and careful governance, compliance, and security will need to be part of the holistic program.
"In short, same as it ever was."
Here is the second response:
"Predicting specific IT issues in the future can be challenging, as the landscape of technology and healthcare is constantly evolving. However, based on current trends and challenges in the healthcare industry, the following three areas are likely to continue being significant IT issues for hospitals and health systems in the next five years:
With the increasing digitization of healthcare records and the interconnectedness of systems, data security and privacy will remain a top concern. Hospitals and health systems store vast amounts of sensitive patient data, making them attractive targets for cybercriminals. As technology advances, so do the tactics used by hackers, necessitating ongoing efforts to strengthen cybersecurity measures and protect patient information.
"The seamless exchange of patient health information between different healthcare systems and providers is crucial for delivering effective care. However, achieving true interoperability remains a challenge due to variations in data formats, systems, and standards. Ensuring that EHRs can communicate and share data accurately and efficiently will be a persistent IT issue in the coming years, as it can impact care coordination, patient safety, and healthcare outcomes.
"The healthcare industry has been gradually embracing digital transformation, but there is still progress to be made. Adopting and integrating emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, machine learning, Internet of Things, and telehealth can enhance operational efficiency, improve patient outcomes, and reduce costs. However, implementing these technologies and managing the associated infrastructure, data governance, and workforce training require careful planning and investment, making it a significant IT challenge for hospitals and health systems.
"It's worth noting that the healthcare industry is dynamic, and new challenges may arise over the next five years that could also become significant IT issues for hospitals and health systems. These three areas, however, are likely to persist as key concerns that demand attention and innovation in the healthcare IT landscape."
If you guessed the first response came from a human, you are correct. The answer was penned by Patrick Woodard, MD, chief healthcare information officer of Rapid City, S.D.-based Monument Health. And he swears he didn't get any help from ChatGPT.