News Brief: Number of CAH hospitals sees big jump in past year
The number of critical-access hospitals (CAH) increased 69% in 2001, as struggling rural hospitals identify the program as a means toward financial viability.
The number of CAHs jumped by 211 in 2001 to a total of 526, according to information from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) database. Another 10 hospitals had been designated CAHs by late January 2002.
Nebraska and other Great Plains states continue to lead the nation in number of facilities. Nebraska has 54, followed by Kansas (40), Iowa (32), North Dakota (24), and South Dakota (23). Iowa saw the biggest increase in the number of CAHs in 2001, adding 20. Minnesota and North Dakota each added 14.
News Brief: HIPAA is top concern, say hospital IT leaders
Information technology (IT) leaders at health care institutions say their top priorities for the next year are upgrading security to meet Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) requirements and building systems that promote patient safety and reduce medical errors.
The findings are from the annual IT survey conducted by the Healthcare Information Management Systems Society (HIMSS). About 60% of the responses listed compliance with security-related provisions of HIPAA as the greatest concern, while 46% are working on error reduction and patient safety. Forty-two percent planned to upgrade inpatient clinical systems.
The survey also suggested there is sharply increased desire from last year for acquiring enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems that promote efficiency within the hospital. Fifty-eight percent of respondents identified ERP systems as important to their organization over the next couple of years, compared to 11% in 2001.
Deploying Internet technology, on the other hand, while last year’s second highest IT priority, decreased eight points on this year’s survey. The projected importance of Internet technology over the next two years decreased 14 points and reduced demand for Internet-based solutions. Only 38% of respondents identified web applications as important in health care in the next two years, down from 50% in 2001.
"I see a narrowing of focus in health care to initiatives related to quality and cost," reports Charles O. Bracken, executive vice president of Superior Consultant Company, which sponsored the survey. "Web strategies are being limited to those emphasizing practical application and positive business impact."
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