Hospital CEOs ranked financial challenges as the top concern their organization confronted in 2017, with governmental mandates and personnel shortages following close behind, according to the American College of Healthcare Executives' annual survey.
ACHE asked respondents to rank 10 issues affecting their organizations according to how pressing the issues are. Respondents also identified particular areas of concern within each issue. ACHE sent the survey to 1,049 community hospital CEOs who are ACHE members. Of these CEOs, 299 (29 percent) responded.
Here are the 10 most concerning issues hospital CEOs cited for 2017.
1. Financial challenges
2. Governmental mandates
3. Personnel shortages
4. Patient safety and quality
5. Patient satisfaction
6. Physician-hospital relations
7. Access to care
8. Technology
9. Population health management
10. Reorganization (e.g., mergers, acquisitions, restructuring, partnerships)
CEOs also ranked specific concerns within the survey's top three issues. Respondents could choose as many as desired. Here are the top three concerns within financial challenges, governmental mandates and personnel shortages.
Financial challenges
1. Medicaid reimbursement — 71 percent
2. Increasing costs for staff, supplies, etc. — 64 percent
3. Reducing operating costs — 57 percent
Governmental mandates
1. CMS regulations — 70 percent
2. Regulatory/legislative uncertainty affecting strategic planning — 67 percent
3. Cost of demonstrating compliance — 54 percent
Personnel shortages
1. Registered nurses — 69 percent
2. Primary care physicians — 63 percent
3. Physician specialists — 52 percent