Why 63% of healthcare IT projects fail and a means to reduce this trend

Updated: January 01, 2012

Why 63% of healthcare and Pharma IT projects fail and a means to reduce this trend.

An my MIS PhD thesis data collection of 15 healthcare and pharma CIO/CTO's compared to their doctor end users confirmed a recent "CHOAS Report" that 63% (if not higher) projects are challenged or fail to meet customer staisfaction. The disturbing observation is the IT providers seem to accept this rate as "it is what it is". All 15 doctors I interviewed thought "100% of IT projects do not meet their expectations as advertised at go live".

Reasons for failure in order:

  1. 13 % because of lack of effecrive requirements gathering.
  2. 12.4 % lack of end user (stake holder) involvement.
  3. 10.6 % Insufficient resources and schedule
  4. 9.9 % unrealistic expectations
  5. 9.3% lack of executive support
  6. 8.7 % changing requirements
  7. 8.1 % poor planning
  8. 7.9 % did not need it anymore

Failure is in the eyes of the end user. Standard definitions of on time, on budget are understood by both sides and can be measured and covered but it is the third of the triad leg of project management, QUALITY, that is the heated discussion of failure.

So what is the best definition in accordance with both sides of provider/customer? Quality is FIT FOR USE. Most responses by the end users centered around the fact that the product provided by IT at go live made their job harder and not better. most It providers planned the stakeholders for not knowing what they really wanted or better, needed.

How does IT get the end user to think of our projects as benificial? As one CIO said "this is not revelation here Bruce, you go to ask the right questions." I find that appraoch, standard deliberate PMI thought to fall short. The end user requirements change as the project moves and must be accomodated.

As one CIO said " Deliberate methodologies like PMi says you can not start unless you get all the doctors requirements signed off". this has led to any project start date to fall behind because it is so hard to get doctors to articulate wantsand needs. It is like asking your friend at the bar to give you her top 10 jokes of her life. she may remeber 2 to 3 if she is thoughtful. However she may come back in a few days and said "oh by the way here is another joke".

,

Why 63% of healthcare and Pharma IT projects fail and a means to reduce this trend.

An my MIS PhD thesis data collection of 15 healthcare and pharma CIO/CTO's compared to their doctor end users confirmed a recent "CHOAS Report" that 63% (if not higher) projects are challenged or fail to meet customer staisfaction. The disturbing observation is the IT providers seem to accept this rate as "it is what it is". All 15 doctors I interviewed thought "100% of IT projects do not meet their expectations as advertised at go live".

Reasons for failure in order:

  1. 13 % because of lack of effecrive requirements gathering.
  2. 12.4 % lack of end user (stake holder) involvement.
  3. 10.6 % Insufficient resources and schedule
  4. 9.9 % unrealistic expectations
  5. 9.3% lack of executive support
  6. 8.7 % changing requirements
  7. 8.1 % poor planning
  8. 7.9 % did not need it anymore

Failure is in the eyes of the end user. Standard definitions of on time, on budget are understood by both sides and can be measured and covered but it is the third of the triad leg of project management, QUALITY, that is the heated discussion of failure.

So what is the best definition in accordance with both sides of provider/customer? Quality is FIT FOR USE. Most responses by the end users centered around the fact that the product provided by IT at go live made their job harder and not better. most It providers planned the stakeholders for not knowing what they really wanted or better, needed.

How does IT get the end user to think of our projects as benificial? As one CIO said "this is not revelation here Bruce, you go to ask the right questions." I find that appraoch, standard deliberate PMI thought to fall short. The end user requirements change as the project moves and must be accomodated.

As one CIO said " Deliberate methodologies like PMi says you can not start unless you get all the doctors requirements signed off". this has led to any project start date to fall behind because it is so hard to get doctors to articulate wantsand needs. It is like asking your friend at the bar to give you her top 10 jokes of her life. she may remeber 2 to 3 if she is thoughtful. However she may come back in a few days and said "oh by the way here is another joke".

,