Survey: Hospitals Still Stressing Patient Safety Despite Budget Strain
Despite budget constraints, many hospitals are making targeted investments to support growth and emphasize patient safety, according to a recent survey by LEK Consulting, HealthLeaders Media reports.
The survey, conducted in January 2010, included 203 senior U.S. hospital officials.
It found that almost two-thirds of hospitals decreased or froze spending in 2009 and expect further cuts in 2010.
Despite those constraints, the survey found that hospitals continued to support their patient safety infection control budgets in 2009. Hospitals also reported that they expect to increase patient safety spending in the future.
Expected Impact of Health Reform
Hospital executives said that they expect the new health reform law will lead to:
- A boost in overall admissions, but fewer elective procedures;
- More spending to replace existing capital equipment and medical instruments; and
- Increased IT spending through 2014, in response to a higher demand for electronic health records (Cole, HealthLeaders Media, 4/6).