Azalea Health has released the results of the 2015 Rural Health IT Strategy Survey, the first in the industry to focus solely on rural clinics and small hospitals. The survey generated insightful results on topics as diverse as the adoption and practical use of technology, operational needs, regulatory concerns and the overall impact of health IT on the industry.

The survey, which is endorsed by HomeTown Health, a Georgia rural hospital association, was administered to rural clinics, physician offices and small hospitals throughout the Southeast in early 2015. Survey respondents included a range of practice managers, physicians, mid-level providers and nurses.

The survey found that an overwhelming majority of survey respondents currently utilize some form of technology in their practices and clinics. It also showed that many respondents are planning on replacing their current system in order to meet operational needs and improve workflow, or to meet ICD-10 and Meaningful Use Stage 2 guidelines, illustrating the significant impact of regulatory mandates on technology decisions for practices and hospitals.

The healthcare providers and administrators surveyed were split on the impact of health IT on workflow. Some physicians, especially in small practices, feel that patient care is fulfilling but they are discouraged by the administrative and business side of healthcare. The survey indicates cost is ranked by the majority as the biggest challenge holding practices back from upgrading or adopting health information technologies.

The survey provides an overview of the technology use, challenges and goals of rural practices and critical access hospitals going into 2015 and beyond. The results offer these providers a better understanding of the needs of their peers, industry requirements, the future of healthcare technology and how similar organizations are using health information technology.

With increased regulations regarding the use of technology, and as the field of healthcare continues to rapidly change, rural clinics and practices benefit greatly from paying close attention to the current and emerging health IT trends affecting their operations. The survey helps these rural providers better position themselves in the rapidly changing environment of health IT, and enables them to be ahead of the curve when it comes to evolving payment models, ICD-10, and Meaningful Use requirements.

Join us Wednesday, April 29th, for the @Lunch webinar highlighting the key findings of the survey results, as well as the ramifications of meaningful use, ICD-10 and alternative payment models in rural healthcare settings with industry panelists Justin Barnes, strategy and public policy advisor, and Baha Zeidan, CEO and co-founder of Azalea Health.

Register for the April @Lunch webinar online at http://www.AzaleaHealth.com.