HCI 100—A Modern Landscape

As the Healthcare Informatics team tackles the detail-oriented tasks that will become the 2011 ranking of companies by revenues derived from healthcare IT products and/or services, one thing is very clear. The leading companies in this space have changed—if not in name, in products, focus, and corporate strategy.Even a decade ago, the the HCI 100 companies were more often than not focused on software systems for large, acute care facilities. They still used the term “HIS systems,” but those type systems were already fading in popularity as they were more likely to manage administrative functions than support coordination of clinical care. Systems that integrated the two functions were mostly smoke and mirrors—that is, talked about more than they were implemented.The landscape of healthcare IT has changed—and so has that of the companies competing for profits. Market leaders, some a result of strategic mergers and acquisitions, show a playing field now dominated by companies with diverse healthcare portfolios.For example, last year’s number one ranking company for its 2009 revenues was McKesson. That company reported that 19 percent of its revenues could be attributed to software. Most, 76 percent, was derived from services.HIS companies, like HIS systems: Merely a bump in the road to electronic health records for all Americans, accountable care organizations, and medical homes.The 2011 Healthcare Informatics 100 will be published online and in the June issue of Healthcare Informatics. Watch for it.