For Immediate Release
Contact: Tracy Hartman
thartman@aloftgroup.com
978-462-0002 x103

Beacon Partners Recent Study Finds Nearly 60% of Healthcare Organizations Have HIEs in Development, Mirroring HIE Emphasis at HIMSS 2011
Healthcare executives understand the importance of HIEs to achieving Meaningful Use and have the opportunity to learn more at HIMSS HIE Symposium

WEYMOUTH, MA – February 2, 2011– In the results of healthcare management consulting firm Beacon Partners’ recent “ARRA Preparedness and Sustainability” study, nearly 60% of healthcare executives have Health Information Exchange (HIE) plans in development and another 20+% are in the pre-planning stages.

This trend is in line with the emphasis of HIEs at HIMSS 2011 with their newly offered day-long “HIE Symposium: HIE in the Era of HITECH and Health Reform” which takes place Sunday February 20, 2011 from 8:00am to 4:30pm. HIMSS 2011 takes place February 20-24 at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Florida.

HIEs are the mobilization of healthcare information electronically across organizations within a region, community or hospital system, and help physicians and clinicians meet the desired high standards of patient care that are at the very core of the HITECH portion of the ARRA.

“HIEs are setting the stage for an entire transformation as to how the healthcare community communicates with one another and ultimately offers safer, more efficient and effective patient-centered care,” said Ralph P. Fargnoli, Jr., president and CEO of Beacon Partners. “HIE development is an essential element to tackle early on in their journey to achieve Meaningful Use, and while many healthcare organizations are making good progress, there is still much more to learn such as at this HIMSS symposium.”

Beacon Partners survey also found that only 15% of healthcare organizations have operational HIEs.

Other findings of Beacon Partners “ARRA Preparedness and Sustainability” study:

• 45% of healthcare organizations have not applied for any federal or local grants, which is a viable way in which to ignite the process of initiating Health Information Exchanges (HIEs) to attain Meaningful Use.
• In a step towards sustaining their overall IT investment, the majority of healthcare organizations have built IT expenditures into their financial plans for the coming years to help support patient care, clinical quality and safety as part of their annual spending, tactical planning and strategic multi-year plans.
• Most healthcare organizations (over 80%) will either maintain or increase their IT investments if they are awarded the Meaningful Use incentive payments.
• More than 40% of healthcare organizations have plans to enhance their physician and patient portals, which are crucial to the development of a sound and secure infrastructure at any healthcare organization.
• In their efforts to achieve Meaningful Use, “quality reporting” is the biggest concern amongst 73% of healthcare organizations.

Click here to view the executive summary and full survey results.

About Beacon Partners

As the largest independent healthcare management consulting firm in the country, Beacon Partners is chosen by organizations in the healthcare community to provide expertise in the adoption of information technology to improve overall operational and financial performance. With their strategic approach and depth of experience, Beacon Partners is uniquely qualified to help organizations navigate the challenges in healthcare and optimize their potential to deliver the highest possible level of patient care. Beacon Partners’ ARRA expertise helps organizations develop a roadmap that will lead to “meaningful user” status and maximize available incentives.