3 Health Technologies to Watch

The pace at which healthcare organizations have implemented interactive patient portals with advanced features such as appointment scheduling and lab test results has been slow. In this year's survey, only 13% reported having one. And although 48% said they plan to have one in one to two years, 39% said they won't have one for three to five years or more.  

Despite an industry-wide focus on patient-centered care, patient engagement, and patient experience—and a general consensus that technology can help providers better connect with patients, this is one area where healthcare is dragging its feet. What will change that? Patient demand and the need to stay competitive with organizations that have advanced portals.

In fact, organizations that have been slow to develop a portal considered advanced by today's standards could find themselves even further behind in 2012 and beyond if predictions about patient portals of the future—ones that integrate social media functions or offer access via mobile devices, for example—come to fruition.

This year's HealthLeaders Media Industry Survey is now live. It's open – but only until Friday – to leaders at hospitals, health systems, and physician practices, including CEOs and other senior administrators, technology, quality, finance, and physician leaders.