Digital transformation in healthcare is no longer a future goal but a present-day mandate. But with 70% of corporate transformations failing, and only 16% of digital initiatives delivering sustainable performance gains, how can healthcare organizations ensure their efforts lead to real impact?
Healthcare organizations aren’t just choosing to evolve; they’re being pushed to do so by rising costs, workforce shortages, regulatory demands and increasingly complex patient needs. The pressure to adopt new technologies is intense, but meaningful progress depends on how well those tools are implemented. Success hinges not just on technology adoption, but on disciplined execution, leadership alignment and sustained change management, the very areas where most transformations fall short. To beat the odds, healthcare leaders must embed technology into workflows, align it with strategic priorities and deliver measurable improvements in care, efficiency and resilience. It also demands a clear understanding of what “digital excellence” truly looks like.
Why Measuring Digital Impact is so Difficult
Healthcare systems are investing heavily in digital tools, but the real challenge lies in determining whether those tools are delivering meaningful results. Leaders need to know: Is this technology improving care delivery? Is it reducing operational and labor costs? Is it making life better for clinicians, patients and administrative staff alike?
One often-overlooked area for transformation is print infrastructure, a critical yet historically inefficient component of healthcare operations. It may not be flashy or considered “high-tech,” but print has a direct impact on clinical workflows, data security and operational efficiency. Legacy print environments are often costly, underutilized, fragmented and labor-intensive, pulling valuable IT resources away from mission-critical tasks. Without a clear strategy, print can become a hidden barrier to transformation, quietly undermining progress while consuming time, budget and attention that could be better spent elsewhere.
Turning Technology into Tangible Outcomes
Effective digital strategies are outcome-driven. They support core healthcare objectives such as improving patient experience, enhancing population health, reducing per capita costs and supporting clinician well-being. These goals, collectively known as the Quadruple Aim, provide a powerful framework for evaluating the success of digital initiatives.
Modernizing print infrastructure directly supports these aims. By implementing solutions like Zero IT Print Management, cloud-based fax modernization and device-level layered security, healthcare organizations can reduce operational complexity, improve data security and streamline communication. Technologies such as Direct Secure Messaging (DSM) and workflow automation help eliminate manual document handling, reduce errors and streamline data flow into electronic health records (EHRs)—enabling seamless information exchange across care settings and improving clinical coordination.
This level of integration helps minimize claim denials and accelerate reimbursement cycles by ensuring documentation is accurate, timely and securely delivered. Automated fax workflows and direct input into the EHR reduce manual handling and errors – streamlining administrative processes and supporting both financial performance and revenue cycle efficiency.
Additionally, a strong lifecycle asset management strategy ensures that every device is tracked, optimized and aligned with organizational goals throughout its entire lifespan – from procurement to decommissioning – maximizing value and minimizing waste.
Measuring and Benchmarking Digital Progress
To ensure digital transformation delivers real impact, healthcare organizations must measure progress in concrete, actionable ways. The Quadruple Aim offers a strategic lens, but to track progress systematically, many organizations rely on structured frameworks like HIMSS EMRAM and CHIME Digital Health Most Wired. These models assess digital maturity across key domains – such as infrastructure, cybersecurity, data governance, analytics and patient engagement – helping leaders benchmark performance, identify gaps, and guide strategic investments.
Print infrastructure is rarely top of mind in these conversations, yet its alignment with broader digital strategies can yield direct and measurable benefits. By modernizing print technologies and workflows, organizations can reduce operational friction, improve data security, and support enterprise-wide transformation. When integrated thoughtfully, print becomes a strategic enabler rather than a hidden inefficiency.
Use Case: Driving Measurable Impact Through Print Modernization
One healthcare network’s experience illustrates this potential. With 19 hospitals and more than 600 care locations, the organization adopted a defined infrastructure modernization framework to transform its print environment:
The results:
By aligning operational initiatives like print modernization with broader digital transformation frameworks, healthcare organizations can unlock enterprise-wide efficiency while staying focused on what matters most: better care, better outcomes, and a better experience for all.
From Buzzword to Breakthrough: Making Digital Transformation Count
Success in digital transformation isn’t just about adopting new tools, it’s about implementing them effectively to drive measurable, meaningful change. The most forward-thinking healthcare organizations are using structured frameworks to assess their progress, benchmark against peers, and align technology with broader goals. By modernizing print infrastructure and partnering with experts who understand healthcare’s complexity, organizations can unlock transformative cost savings, improve workflows, and deliver better patient care.
With the right strategy and the right partner, digital transformation becomes more than a buzzword—it becomes a catalyst for stronger operations, enhanced security, and a more resilient future. Reach out here to explore how targeted modernization strategies can unlock cost savings, improve workflows, and elevate care delivery across your enterprise.
