STAMFORD, CT – As the country moves toward healthcare reform and defining "meaningful use" of information technology, a new poll shows providers plan to make better use of IT in everyday practices.

"More than 30 percent of those we surveyed indicated they would make better use of technology to help offset the impact of proposed Medicare payment cuts on their business," said Clare DeNicola, CEO of IVANS, a firm that advises providers on Medicare issues.

"Many of them are already tightening their belts because of the current economy," said DeNicola. "From their perspective, technology is not simply a way to cut costs but, more importantly, to increase efficiencies to maintain the quality of care to their patients."

IVANS, Inc, a Stamford, Conn.-based information technology services company, asked healthcare providers to weigh in on issues tied to healthcare reform, including the role of technology in their practice, proposed Medicare cutbacks and what they are doing to prepare themselves for potential changes. More than 200 providers responded to the Web-based survey, which was conducted in October.

The survey follows the Congressional Budget Office's accounting of cost reductions contained within the Senate Finance Committee's proposed healthcare bill.

The healthcare reform bill recently passed by the House also has provisions that would cut Medicare funding. For  facilities and providers who focus on elder care, including the long-term and chronic care segment of the healthcare population, the cuts are expected to have a considerable impact on their business and the decisions they make when it comes to their patients, according to IVANS.

One-quarter of respondents said they would provide additional and new training for staff members as a way to deal with payment cutbacks. Another quarter said they would not do anything to prepare.

A recent report by Thomson Reuters indicated that the U.S. healthcare system wastes about $700 billion annually. The report pointed to administrative inefficiency and redundant paperwork for as much as 18 percent of this waste.

"One prescription for our nation's healthcare deficit is the implementation of technology and making better use of what's presently available," DeNicola said. "By using information technology, or IT, providers can lower the cost and improve the quality of healthcare overall."

"Many facilities still operate with older technology infrastructures," she added. "By upgrading these infrastructures and operating systems, they likely will experience immediate benefits, from faster claims processing and access to online applications such as patient insurance verification.

Over time, she said, these improvements also better position healthcare facilities to add new functions, including e-prescribing, home monitoring and the exchange of important patient information.

For the complete survey, contact Ellen Werther.