Independent ambulatory organizations have absorbed much of the volume moving outpatient — but the scheduling, intake, coding, prior authorization and reporting systems underneath were built for a different payer environment and an earlier generation of technology.
A new Becker’s Healthcare and NextGen survey asked 160 senior leaders across eight ambulatory care segments what they’re willing to rebuild. The answer: 159 of 160 would change something about their administrative stack, and a majority backed replacing or redesigning six separate systems, not just one.
Leaders named the EHR interface the function most overdue for reinvention, and pointed to technology fragmentation, not funding, as their biggest obstacle. When asked what automation should deliver first, they put reducing burnout and improving retention just ahead of margins.
Where they’d start, though, varies sharply from one segment to the next — so no single implementation strategy fits the whole market. This report breaks down where each is placing its bets.
Inside, you’ll learn:
- Which six administrative systems earned majority support for replacement or redesign, plus the single function leaders call most overdue across ambulatory care
- Why leaders point to technology fragmentation, not funding, as the top obstacle
- Which administrative function leaders expect AI to automate first — and the workforce outcome they rank above margin
- How priorities diverge by segment, from procedural groups prioritizing prior authorization to FQHCs favoring integration over consolidation