Springfield, Mo.-based CoxHealth recently decided to move its IT operations back in-house in a bid to create one structure with "stronger synergies," Patrick Murfee, vice president and chief technology officer of the organization, told Becker's.
Since 2012, CoxHealth has outsourced its IT operations to Cerner, now known as Oracle Health. But the health system recently made the decision to end the partnership and bring its IT operations back in-house.
"We're not running away from something, we're really running toward something," Mr. Murfee said. "Technology is not a cost center; it's critical to the organization and it's necessary to have a strong alignment with other departments."
Mr. Murfee said that bringing the IT department back in-house will provide CoxHealth with stronger knowledge retention, faster resolution and less turnover.
"This will provide a more conducive experience for clinicians, customers, staff and really everyone where IT is at the foundation," he said. "And we just see this as another natural evolution and launching point for our growth and continued success."
CoxHealth bringing its IT team back in-house comes at a time where several other hospitals and health systems have been deciding to outsource.
Minneapolis-based Allina Health said Feb. 1 it would transition roughly 2,000 IT and revenue cycle employees to UnitedHealth Group's healthcare services arm, Optum.
Meanwhile, health systems like Providence, R.I.-based Care New England; Brewer, Maine-based Northern Light Health; and Owensboro (Ky.) Health have also followed suit, making similar transitions.
Mr. Murfee said this trend of staff moving in and staff moving out comes in waves as healthcare organizations try to balance knowledge, cost management and the need to move faster than ever to supply technology for the healthcare environment.
"For us, the main motivation to in-source and pull those teams back was so that our IT teams are plugged in as close as possible to the care that's being provided," he said. "Like all organizations, there's a place for professional services and managed services, and you have to use the right tool at the right time. And this is where we're at on our journey."