What technologies keep hospital C-suite execs up at night?

Healthcare reform, accountable care organizations, readmissions and reimbursement rates are just a few of the challenges facing today’s healthcare leaders. Balancing costs and savings potential for new technologies also weighs heavily on their shoulders. A watch list from the ECRI Institute provides a roadmap to 10 technology issues that healthcare leaders should have on their radar in 2013 and beyond.

The watch list reflects ongoing impacts of healthcare reform initiatives and new technology developments. Some of the technologies represent significant capital investments, such as PET/MR, while others, including mobile health, metabolic surgery and low-dose CT lung cancer screening, may greatly affect operations and care patterns.

“New demands for information and clinical technology are top issues for executives and objective perspectives are critical," Jeffrey C. Lerner, PhD, president and CEO at ECRI, said in a release.

Technology issues on this year’s watch list include:

1. EHRs: You’ve achieved Meaningful Use, but how safe is your EHR?
2. Mobile health: What exactly is it, and what can it do for me?
3. Alarm integration technology: Will you be able to reduce alarm fatigue and improve alarm management?
4. Minimally invasive cardiac surgery: Is transcatheter aortic valve replacement ready for liftoff?
5. Imaging & surgery: What imaging won’t be done in an OR?
6. PET/MR: The hybrid that everyone has to have?
7. Bariatric surgery: Is it a cure for type II diabetes?
8. Supply chain: Will MR-compatible pacemakers explode your supply expenses?
9. Radiation dose safety: CT dose limbo dance—how low can you go?
10. Lung cancer screenings: Enough lung capacity to get in the race?

 “Hospital leaders should ask if new technology or procedures really improve patient care and make it a less costly patient-care experience,” Robert Maliff, director of applied solutions at ECRI, said in the release. This year’s watch list draws upon ECRI Institute’s 45 years of experience evaluating the safety, effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of health technologies. ECRI’s "Top 10 C-Suite Watch List: Hospital Technology Issues for 2013" is available for download.