NASHVILLE, TN – Hospitals were already struggling with reduced revenues and reimbursements. Now the financial events of the last month are accelerating cost-cutting plans, including staff reductions.

Healthcare IT can play an important role in maintaining quality of care through the automation of administrative and clinical processes, said Gary Zegiestowsky, CEO of Informatics Corp. of America.

“Where technology can help is in the implied efficiencies in daily tasks,” he said.

Percentages vary from healthcare system to healthcare system, but gathering information on patients, which Zegiestowsky likens to a scavenger hunt, can drain anywhere between 10 to 40 percent of a nurse’s time.

“Any opportunity to reduce that time and having the information in one place will definitely drive efficiency,” he said. The efficiencies gained translate to savings in time, enabling nurses to focus on proactive care.