Healthcare IT Trends in 2017

Progress is inevitable, and in the healthcare industry, it’s a fast-moving train. Last year, healthcare IT professionals saw an uptick in technology approaches that support patient-centered and personalized medicine, the emergence of wearables and the Internet of Things and an increasing focus on big data thanks to electronic medical records. So, what will 2017 bring?

As the new year begins, it’s important to keep an eye toward the future and stay up to date on the latest in healthcare IT trends. To maintain your organization’s competitive advantage in the healthcare space, you must look ahead to what’s on the horizon in terms of technological advancement.

You should expect to see the following trends surface this year. Plan to anticipate what they will mean for your healthcare organization, and make the necessary preparations to ensure that your network can handle the changes ahead.

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Increase in Rapid Communication

As healthcare organizations increasingly focus on patient-centered care and a quality experience, more importance has been placed on the effectiveness and speed of communication. An efficient exchange of knowledge and communication between healthcare professionals is absolutely necessary if you aim to deliver a high level of service and care. Fortunately, the devices to support this kind of communication are becoming more and more prevalent.

“Mobile, text-based communication has evolved from primarily one-way pager to full two-way text communication, which encompasses not only pagers, but also cell phones, smartphones, tablets and computers on wheels. It was not very long ago that you had to turn off your phone when you entered a hospital; now their use is standard. Integrations with hospital systems have advanced automatic communication for critical results, patient placement, system alerts and even cardiac events. The rapid pace of IT and device technology has accelerated speed and accuracy to communication that was not available 10 years ago.” (Future of Health Care)

With communication avenues spanning email, phone, EHR systems and more -- and with the sharing of information becoming more rapid than ever before -- your organization must be able to support these advances and promote the kind of real-time communication that is necessary to provide quality care.

Do you have a strong wireless networking infrastructure that fully meets the requirements of this healthcare IT trend? Fast load times and access to databases is essential when pulling patient history and keeping information organized. Enabling quicker transfers of information is only feasible when you implement a strong wireless network.

More Devices Accessing the Network

Ready or not, your hospital’s network is looking at an influx of devices requiring access. From EHR systems and medical technologies to patient and guest smartphones and tablets, the demands are immense. Patients are becoming more knowledgeable on the spot using their own devices, and advancements in connected medical technology are necessitating constant Internet access.

“The number of medical wearable devices is expected to grow as more healthcare organization networks adapt to the Internet of Things, according to a recent report...As the healthcare IoT continues to grow, organizations must evaluate their health IT infrastructure to handle the new types of devices and the data they are contributing.” (HIT Infrastructure)

It is vital to ensure that the increase in devices accessing your network doesn’t slow everything down, or you’re going to see frustrated users across the hospital and a diminished patient care experience. In a healthcare setting, efficient and reliable wireless access is essential for providing exceptional care and keeping all critical medical applications running smoothly. Consider whether a network upgrade is in order to prepare for this healthcare IT trend.

Surge in Data Storage

Quicker modes of communication and greater numbers of connected devices go hand-in-hand with this third healthcare IT trend for 2017. Expect there to be ever-increasing amounts of patient and research data being stored for use across your organization. That means you’ll need to identify ways to accommodate this flood of data and enhance storage capabilities.

According to Black Book’s 2016 end-of-year survey: “Ninety percent of CIOs surveyed said they'll likely address their organization's data warehousing and storage issues during the first two quarters of 2017. Eighty-one percent of CIOs plan to begin restructuring their databases in the new year.” (Becker’s Hospital Review)

Greater Cyber Threats

This may seem like nothing new, but cyber threats heighten every year. “Security breaches and cyber attacks on the health care system are increasing, and such breaches now average $3.8 million in cost per attack...” (Occupational Health & Safety)

With more devices accessing your network as well as more information being stored and shared, your organization faces security risk that’s at an all-time high.  

“The healthcare industry is expected to be hackers’ most heavily targeted sector in 2017, according to the latest ‘Data Breach Industry Forecast’ from Experian. The explanation is simple: personal medical data is among the most valuable kinds of information to target because once the data is made inaccessible, health care officials will pay handsomely to get it back. These so-called ransomware attacks may also expand from blocking a provider’s access to patient information and then selling them the key to reopen the data, to selling the data itself on the dark web or leveraging it for identity theft. In other words, as bad as things have been in 2016, they are going to get much worse next year.” (Cyber Security Intelligence)

So, what are you doing to fortify and protect your network? Does your hospital’s networking infrastructure comply with best security practices to safeguard against data breaches and HIPAA violations? These precautions are absolutely necessary to ensure quality care and service within your hospital and to mitigate the risk of costly cyber attacks.

Don’t let the forecasted healthcare IT trends leave you unprepared and at a disadvantage this year. Now is the time to make certain that your network infrastructure is strong enough to support these developments. Let us know in the comments below how you plan to improve your network in preparation of 2017’s healthcare IT trends, and be sure to get helpful information and sound advice by downloading your free copy of Healthcare IT Professionals: Is It Time To Invest In Better Wireless Networking?