Health system executives are increasingly prioritizing cost transparency and internal alignment when choosing health IT vendors, a June 25 report from KLAS Research found.
KLAS’ “Executive Voices” report reflects feedback from more than 1,000 C-suite leaders, including CEOs, CFOs, CIOs and CMIOs. The report highlights growing frustration with unclear pricing, poor cross-department coordination, and technology that fails to support systemwide goals.
Here are five key findings from the report:
- Across leadership roles, the report found that unclear pricing models and inflexible cost structures often lead organizations to drop or avoid certain vendors.
- CFOs in particular called out vendors that “overcomplicate ROI tracking” and introduce hidden fees. CIOs and COOs also said that rigid pricing delayed critical upgrades and expansion efforts.
- KLAS also found that many technology projects fail due to poor internal alignment across clinical, operational and financial leaders. CMIOs and CNIOs said clinical input is often overlooked in major system decisions, leading to frustration and inefficiency. CEOs noted that fragmented ownership and lack of shared goals can derail promising investments.
- Executives are looking for vendors who can back up their claims with measurable results. CEOs emphasized the importance of improving financial performance, clinician retention and system reputation. CIOs, meanwhile, want tools that simplify IT governance and reduce vendor sprawl.
- CFOs called for clearer contracts, modular spending options, and support with multi-year financial modeling. CMIOs want platforms that reduce provider burnout and align better with clinical workflows.
