CHICAGO – The 20th Annual HIMSS Leadership Survey highlighted a firm commitment to healthcare IT, despite financial concerns impacting hospital CIOs' decision-making plans.

Challenges aside, a panel of two hospital CIOs and a healthcare IT vendor expressed optimism in that commitment, given the passage of the federal stimulus package, signed into law after the survey had taken place.

Northwestern Memorial Hospital in Chicago will drive optimization of its healthcare IT systems, said CIO Tim Zoph. At the same time, he said, the hospital wants to take advantage of the Stark Relaxation law to reach physician practices.

Zoph admitted that the liquidity crisis and soft economy will continue to drive the focus back to the bottom line. While he doesn't see activities accelerating, he said that perhaps within six to nine months the landscape may change.

Citizens Memorial Hospital in Bolivar, Mo., has a bare-bones budget, but it has a "placeholder" for healthcare IT, said CIO Denni McColm. Citizens is waiting for definitions on the federal stimulus language to see where its IT priorities need to be focused. While she deemed the Stark Relaxation law not enough to move the market, she said the stimulus will help bring connectivity between hospitals and physician practices.

John Daniels, vice president and CIO of Evolvent Technology, said a careful approach is the best response, given the unknowns in the language, including "meaningful use." Zoph defined it as technology that can make a demonstrable difference in the delivery of healthcare.

All three panelists noted that the economic downturn coupled with the federal stimulus funds will create opportunities in the market, especially in the creation of new business and product models to support ambulatory practices. "I expect to hear vendors step up with new models," said McColm.

Zoph envisions the rise of hosted, open-architecture, cost-performance models, all supporting the need for a low-cost solution that is easy to use.