Embracing Technology in Healthcare

By Mateo Miramontes, Business Value Consultant, Mainstay Company

The healthcare industry can sometimes lag behind other industries when adopting new technologies because of the unique challenges they face. One of the biggest concerns when making infrastructure decisions at healthcare organizations is that any downtime or hiccup in the system that results in nurses and doctors not being able to access information can cost lives. But as technology continues to rise around them, healthcare organizations are now making the investments needed to bring the industry into the future. In 2019, the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS) focused on how healthcare organizations are catching up with new solutions that will prepare healthcare for the future.

Cloud is coming: In 2019, HIMSS provided evidence that cloud solutions would be implemented quickly in the healthcare industry, stating that the use of hybrid cloud in healthcare is expected to double in the next two years. This is a sharp increase that shows that business trends like the Internet of Things is hitting the healthcare industry, and providers see that they must embrace technology in order to perform their tasks more efficiently and provide better care to their patients. Many organizations are taking advantage of the cloud and its ability to help them scale applications and keep their information secure.

Focus on outcomes: Healthcare organizations that embrace the cloud are no longer handcuffed with licensing issues. They are now allowed to focus on outcomes and find the tools needed to provide their nurses and doctors with the information required to care for their patients. With machine learning and the Internet of Things, healthcare is finding new ways to exchange sensitive data while providing greater privacy and protection against data breaches. 

Limiting the impact of a data breach: Security over the very sensitive data that healthcare organizations keep is always a top priority. It is one of the main reasons why organizations can sometimes be slow when moving to cloud-based solutions. In 2019, third-party applications actually increase the security in which data is stored and viewed but limit the spread of a data breach while drastically reducing the investigation time needed to find and fix the breach. There are also solutions that securely back up data, including integrating with most EMR solutions, and allow for quick restoration of data and an easy-to-use demo environment that allows organizations to test any system updates before going live to make sure everything stays secure.

As healthcare embraces technology and the cloud and prepares for the future of patient care, organizations are finding increased benefits and a more efficient way to operate. While it continues to embrace technology to meet the demands of the customers, healthcare organizations will be able to securely use their data to help their patients. At the end of the day, healthcare is about helping people, and technology is making it easier for organizations to do just that.