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Survey Findings Contradict Conventional Wisdom About Healthcare Costs
Majority of Opinion Leaders Say Technology Can Actually Reduce Costs
NEW YORK, Oct. 13, 2004 ― Sixty percent of healthcare opinion leaders believe new medical technologies and equipment can actually reduce the costs of healthcare, according to a survey released by Siemens Medical Solutions and the Center for Health Transformation at a press briefing today. In addition, 63 percent of influencers said information technologies (IT) are more important than other factors in contributing to keeping healthcare delivery costs to a minimum.
“The idea that technology can drive costs down and improve care is a reality,” said Erich Reinhardt, Ph.D., president and CEO of Siemens Medical Solutions. “Coupled with the real-world outcomes we are seeing at healthcare facilities, these findings confirm that the return on investment for innovations in healthcare technology comes in both the bottom line and in saving lives. A true transformation of healthcare as we know it is happening through a collaboration of public and private efforts.”
The survey also confirmed the need for industry-wide adoption of a national healthcare IT infrastructure. Nearly two-thirds of respondents said healthcare IT will have a very significant role in sharing best practices across the industry for better outcomes.
Newt Gingrich, founder of the Center for Health Transformation, said “there are two essential elements for the successful development of an interoperable nationwide health IT infrastructure: the government must play a leadership role, and must also provide an initial investment in the nation’s health electronic infrastructure. This is not unlike, America’s investment in the interstate highway system. As an initial goal, one percent of federal healthcare spending should be invested in health IT. If the government is serious about creating this national health IT infrastructure, it needs to get serious about funding it.”
The survey was conducted by PSB Corporate Research Group and polled healthcare influencers, members of healthcare professional organizations, lobby groups and hospitals CEOs, CIOs and executive directors. Results centered on:
The role of IT to transform patient care processes
- 97 percent of respondents said new healthcare IT will be important in contributing to overall better healthcare.
- 85 percent said new healthcare IT is more important than other factors in contributing to improved overall process of treating and handling patients.
- Respondents cited cost (68 percent), lack of public pressure (47 percent) and standardization (40 percent) as the greatest barriers to adoption and implementation of a national healthcare IT infrastructure.
- 57 percent cited HMOs and insurance companies, while 51 percent cited the government as who should be responsible for paying the bill for IT.
- 84 percent of respondents said imaging technologies will be important in contributing to overall better healthcare.
- 51 percent cited imaging technologies as more important than other factors in impacting cost.
- 64 percent said imaging technologies are more important than other factors in contributing to improved overall process of treating and handling patients.
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