New CHIME Survey Reveals System Fragmentation as a Growing Strategic and Safety Risk

National research conducted with RLDatix reveals nearly 90% of healthcare organizations see an urgent need to modernize governance and connected systems

CHICAGO, Feb. 19, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Healthcare technology leaders say disconnected systems and fragmented data environments are no longer just an efficiency problem — they are putting organizational performance and, in some cases, patient safety at risk.

Respondents to the 2026 Leadership Pulse Survey from the College of Healthcare Information Management Executives (CHIME), conducted by RLDatix, overwhelmingly agree that their organizations must modernize operations to manage growing clinical, regulatory and financial complexity — including how data is governed, preserved and accessed across systems.

What healthcare technology leaders are signaling:

• Modernization is no longer optional: Nearly 90% say operations must evolve to keep pace with rising clinical, regulatory and financial pressure.
• Interoperability is the baseline expectation: 80% say tools must work together seamlessly to support coordinated execution.
• Tool sprawl is slowing teams down: 76% report that managing too many point solutions makes operations harder, not easier.

The findings echo themes raised at the recent JPM Healthcare Conference, where executives emphasized disciplined execution, simplification and quality accountability as defining priorities for the next era of healthcare delivery. In a recent Becker's Hospital Review viewpoint, RLDatix CEO Dan Michelson noted that safety, scale and operational rigor are becoming board-level expectations across health systems.

"For healthcare leaders, reliable execution underpins both performance and safety," said August Calhoun, President of North America at RLDatix. "The challenge isn't under-investment in technology — it's under-connection. When systems don't work together and accountability isn't clear, action stalls and risk isn't addressed consistently."

The pressure builds when work moves across teams. 

More than three-quarters say operating across multiple tools is central to the challenge. When issues stall at handoffs between systems and teams, they stay open longer — slowing resolution and increasing risk across safety, compliance, provider management and patient experience. Leaders increasingly describe fragmentation not just as a technology issue, but as a breakdown in ownership and follow-through.

Eighty percent of respondents cite interoperability as a top priority, and 74% say integration with existing systems, including the EHR, is a key factor in selecting future platforms. Leaders are also evaluating whether data can remain standardized, accessible and resilient, even during system transitions or downtime.

Interoperability is now a threshold requirement.

The survey highlights the complexity of today's healthcare technology environments. Some organizations report operating more than 100 tools across the enterprise, including 10 to 20 or more dedicated specifically to safety, compliance, provider management and patient experience.

Seventy-six percent say managing too many tools makes operations harder. Nearly half cite integration complexity and data quality as major barriers. Thirty-one percent are actively exploring vendor consolidation, and 70% identify reduced total cost of ownership as a key factor in platform selection.

Rather than adding more systems, leaders are increasingly focused on simplifying their environments — reducing coordination burden, retiring legacy platforms without losing historical records and strengthening accountability across workflows.

Financial realities are influencing modernization strategy.

Budget constraints are also shaping modernization decisions. Eighty-five percent cite financial limitations as the leading barrier to change. Instead of slowing progress, this pressure is pushing organizations toward practical modernization strategies that improve accountability to protect data continuity during transitions and reduce system sprawl.

Taken together, the findings suggest healthcare modernization is entering a more focused phase — one defined by simplified operational environments, governed data foundations, clearer ownership and more reliable execution in a rapidly changing healthcare landscape.

Access the full report
To download the CHIME 2026 Leadership Pulse Survey whitepaper, schedule a conversation or discuss the findings, click here.

About CHIME
The College of Healthcare Information Management Executives (CHIME) is an executive organization serving healthcare leaders from the C-suite to emerging talent, providing a trusted environment for collaboration, professional growth and leadership development. 

About RLDatix  
RLDatix solutions for safety, workforce and data are used by more than 10,000 healthcare organizations worldwide. Its mission is to help providers raise the standard of care by delivering safer and more efficient health and care. RLDatix's AI-powered RLD360 platform connects safety, compliance, provider management and patient experience through a shared data foundation to support coordinated execution across the enterprise.

Media Contact: Fiona Sykes
[email protected] 

SOURCE RLDatix