Hospital CEOs are focusing most of their energy on physician alignment, quality measurements and cost reductions over the next three years, according to a recent survey by Thomson Reuters.
The survey asked CEOs of hospitals that won the Thomson Reuters 100 Top Hospitals award in 2011 to rate the key challenges they face over the next one to three years, the reasons for their success and the importance of various industry issues. Forty-four CEOs responded to the survey.
CEOs rated their top nine priorities, with accountable care organizations falling in second-to-last place, followed only by wellness program development. When asked why ACOs received such a low rating, many CEOs reported confusion about the proposed program or lack of faith that it will come to fruition.
CEOs agreed that keeping physicians engaged, aligned and motivated is vital to hospital success. CEOs generally agreed that older physicians are less open to alignment, while younger physicians tend to actively seek some form of alignment with the hospital.
Still, the first thing mentioned when CEOs were asked to discuss upcoming challenges was declining reimbursement. Some CEOs plan to face this challenge through improved disease management programs to reduce cost, attempts to manage upcoming Medicare reductions now and possible pay reductions.
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