In the HealthLeaders 2017 Annual Industry Outlook Survey, senior healthcare leaders were asked about the challenges their organizations face as they transition to value-based care.
To successfully execute on their mission, provider organizations must run at optimal levels. This is an especially complex organizational undertaking given the industry's transition to new care delivery and payment models and an ever-changing regulatory environment.
However, the good news according to the January/February 2017 HealthLeaders Media Annual Industry Outlook Survey is that respondents generally report positive reviews of the overall organizational performance of specific groups and individuals in their organizations.
Organizational performance excellence starts at the top, and 43% of respondents rate their CEO's performance as very strong, making CEOs the top performing group/individuals.
The result is up four percentage points over last year's survey (39%). Thirty percent of respondents rate the leadership team's performance as very strong, giving it the second-highest response.
The groups receiving the lowest responses for very strong are data analytics staff (10%) and IT staff (15%). While only 6% of CEOs and 11% non-CEOs say data analytics staff performance is very strong, 46% of CEOs and 26% of non-CEOs indicate that performance is strong, leading to an overall rating of 28%.
Last year, the response for data analytics for very strong was just 8%, indicating that progress in this important area has been slow in coming.
In a similar vein, while only 17% of CEOs and 15% of non-CEOs say IT staff performance is very strong, 46% of CEOs and 35% of non-CEOs indicate that performance is strong, leading to an overall 36% rating for strong. Last year, the response for IT staff for very strong was 11%, four percentage points lower than in this year's survey.
Looking at organizational performance more broadly, nearly three-quarters (71%) of respondents say that their prospects for growth are very strong or strong, with responses for fiscal management (67%), collaboration/relationships with providers (62%), and strategic planning (61%) following closely behind.
A greater share of CEOs (80%) than non-CEOs (70%) say their organization's prospects for growth are very strong or strong, and a greater share of CEOs (80%) than non-CEOs (65%) rate their organization's fiscal management as very strong or strong.
The area receiving the lowest response for very strong or strong is price transparency (33%), which continues to be a challenge for the industry. Based on net patient revenue, a greater share of small organizations (37%) than medium (28%) and large (26%) organizations say price transparency is strong or very strong.
And a greater share of rural organizations (44%) than non-rural organizations (14%) say this.
Jonathan Bees is a research analyst for HealthLeaders.