This week saw some interesting facts and figures indicative of the changes facing the healthcare industry.

In one case, a Black Book survey found that knowledge of health IT systems is the most desirable skill for hospital C-suite positions. Technology and data systems management knowledge was the most important skill identified for almost all chief officer positions.

About 80 percent of hospitals with more than 200 beds "relied on an internal, C-level executive" to lead their vendor selections and IT implementations, compared with 43 percent in 2012.

For leadership to need that kind of expertise to me indicates a significant change in the skills needed to succeed in such a role.

Meanwhile, cyberattacks over the next five years will cost U.S. health systems $305 billion in cumulative lifetime revenue, according to a report from Accenture.

One in 13 patients, about 25 million people, will have personal information stolen from technology systems over the next five years, according to the consulting firm.

Accenture projects that of the patients likely to be affected by healthcare-provider data breaches over the next five years, one-quarter will subsequently become victims of medical identity theft. One in six (16 percent) of the affected patients will be victimized and pay out-of-pocket costs totaling almost $56 billion over the same time period. 

U.S. News & World Report has named 159 hospitals in 37 states to its annual list of the nation's "Most Connected Hospitals," recognizing high-performing hospitals for their use of health IT to improve patient care.

Qualifying hospitals were evaluated based on clinical connectedness, patient engagement and patient safety.

Let’s hope for even more hospitals to earn the distinction next year.

Beth Walsh

Clinical Innovation + Technology editor