The sheer volume of changes in health IT confronting CIOs is a trend all unto itself in 2011--putting the CIOs "squarely in the crucible," according to a collaborative white paper on the top 11 Health IT trends from the eHealth Initiative and GE Healthcare.

In addition to keeping current systems running, healthcare CIOs will have to get in position for HIPAA 4010 to 5010 (due Jan. 1, 2012); prepare for ICD‑10 (due Oct. 1, 2013); decide and execute meaningful use road maps and strategies; and manage the sharp rise of mobile devices in healthcare.

According to one CIO quoted by the paper: "Those without the ability to prioritize quickly will be in deep trouble."

In another trend, the health information exchange (HIE) market is seen as making major changes over the year. Enterprise, regional, state, and multi‑state HIEs will need to develop value‑added services, such as image exchange, in order to be sustainable, the paper said.

By 2011, the U.S. market will begin to catch up to Canada and Europe in the adoption of image exchange, according to the paper, which received input from representatives of organizations including the American Hospital Association, United Healthcare, Accenture, and the Massachusetts eHealth Collaborative.

The paper also notes that 2011 will see an explosion in the volume and diversity of mobile solutions as new devices, carriers, and operating systems hit the market. However, making provisions for--and securing these devices within a healthcare organization--could stretch already thin IT resources.

For more details:
- download the white paper (reg. required)

Related Articles:
Health IT still far from its potential
AMIA 2010: 'Five to 10 years away' always seems five to 10 years away
Blumenthal: Health IT is key to health reform
Radical health IT changes not expected in '08