When it comes to adopting any form of information technology (IT), the healthcare sector has a well-earned reputation for being careful, conservative, and glacially slow. Even with significant carrot-and-stick incentives from both government and private payors, IT-based systems have been slow to penetrate many healthcare settings.
But over the past decade, as an increasing number and variety of IT systems have demonstrated their value to payors, providers, and patients alike, the barriers to IT adoption have gradually begun to fall. Today, with initiatives and opportunities ranging from electronic health records (EHRs) to big data analytics, IT systems are reshaping the healthcare landscape.