By PAMELA WHITTEN, DEIRDRE MYLOD, GORAN GAVRAN, and HOWARD SYPHER

“MOST WIRED HOSPITALS”
RATE PATIENT SATISFACTION
Considering the role of IT as a variable in health care institution
quality assessment.

Information technology is one of the most significant tools currently available to improve health care quality and productivity. When it comes to IT, however, health care lags behind almost every other industry [ 9]. Although the health care industry does not lack for technology, major expenditures are limited to profit-making sectors such as surgery and treatment [ 6]. Other data-driven industries such as insurance or financial services budget more than 10 percent of their finances for IT, whereas health care puts only two to three percent of its budget into IT. Along the same lines, private industry spends an average of about $7,000 per worker on IT hardware, software, and services, with banking approaching $15,000 a worker; health care averages about $3,000 annually per worker for IT [ 6].

This contrast in IT investment is important to note as it comes at a time when we are realizing that patients see real benefits from increased investment in technology. In fact, examinations into how users feel about technological applications in health care indicate generally high levels of satisfaction as both patients and providers appreciate the convenience and efficiency that comes with new technologies. Videoconferencing consultations between specialists and patients improves