On Monday, ECRI Institute published a list of upcoming and noteworthy health technologies and health system issues that C-Suite executives might want to be thinking about as they plan capital expenditures for 2014.

The 2014 Top 10 Hospital C-Suite Watch List is an evidence-based, straight-talk reference guide for hospital leaders trying to come to some conclusions about the vast array of new technologies that come to market each year. And now, more than ever, the pressure is on to choose technologies that can also control costs.

Technologies and infrastructure issues on ECRI's list this year include:
- Computer-assisted sedation systems
- Catheter-based renal denervation for treatment-resistant hypertension
- Emergency departments designed just for elderly patients
- Copper surfaces in ICUs for preventing hospital-acquired infections
- Wearable powered exoskeleton rehabilitation for individuals with paraplegia
- Magnetic resonance-guided focused ultrasound for cancer pain
- NanoKnife® system to treat cancer
- Real-time MRI adaptive radiation therapy
- Intelligent pills to improve medication adherence and prevent readmissions
- Big data

"This is not a list of 'must-haves,' but rather a 'must think carefully about' list," said Diane Robertson, director, health technology assessment information service at ECRI Institute, in a statement. "We don't profess to have all the answers, but the unbiased evidence that we present about these 10 technologies and infrastructure issues will get health care leaders off to a steady start on their often rocky journey of acquiring new technologies or making system-wide changes in 2014 and beyond."

Do you have any experience with any technologies or infrastructures on the list? Please get the conversation started in the comments section below.

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