The National Economic Impact Survey is an annual survey of materials management executives and chief financial officers from VHA and UHC member hospitals. The survey revealed the following key findings:
• This year, 37 percent of respondents indicate that they have experienced significant financial improvement, a slight improvement over last year’s results.
• 88 percent of respondents foresee either a decrease in staffing or no change at all. Of the 12 percent that predict an increase in staffing, the majority expects to see a staff increase in nursing.
• All of the respondents indicate that they foresee increases in all specialties of physician employment with family practice as the highest increase according to 95 percent of respondents.
• 58 percent of the respondents foresee an increase in IT infrastructure purchases over the next year at their facilities, while only 10 percent foresee a decrease.
• 32 percent of the respondents foresee an increase in facilities improvement and capital projects over the next year, while 29 percent expect a decrease and 39 percent do not anticipate any change.
• 80 percent of respondents are focusing on cost standardization, 77 percent on process improvement, and 69 percent indicate they are reducing costs through their commitment to their GPO.
