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Safety & Security for the Future of Digital Healthcare

Posted by on 12 December 2018
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Connected healthcare refers to the delivery of care through technology, and it boasts of creating more flexible opportunities for engaging care physicians, providing better self-management care, and maximizing healthcare resources. With recent discoveries in the field of personalization, precision medicine, and genomics, consumer-based technology has given individuals authority over the quality of their life and health. Nonetheless, the healthcare industry has been reluctant to change for quite a while. While some reasons are justifiable, many factors are causing hindrance to the growth of the health sector. Because of the technological world that we live in, however, healthcare is something that is being brought more and more into the hands of the patient. With many applications being created, home healthcare is a very viable option for many patients. The following are the primary challenges facing the modern healthcare industry.

Transition of Liability and Security

The health sector has for long struggled to meet regulatory requirements and protect the privacy of its patients. With the rise of connected healthcare, the threat of hacks and security breaches has grown, increasing the vulnerability of personal data that attackers can hold hostage with fake identity and ransomware. Indeed, the modern healthcare that delivers value also comes with security risks that can result in the manipulation of programs and devices located not only within the healthcare facility but also at patients homes. Thankfully, the health industry is aware of and prepared for the vulnerability of implanted devices and wearable that are connected to the internet. This so that in the case that an attack was to occur involving gadgets such as the patients home security cameras or digital files, the industry is able to contain the problem before it gets out of hand.

Poor Interoperability and Lack of Integration

Interoperability refers to when programmes, databases, and multiple devices can interact cross systematic and organizational boundaries. It also allows different resources and technologies to react to any informed decision, socialize, and communicate even without human intervention. However, connected healthcare exacerbates longstanding issues of integration and interoperability. Modern care facilities face the prospect of more databases, gateways, routers, controllers, and sensors all with unique protocols. The issue of blame is also a concern here, and software developers, patients, caregivers, and providers using the technology can be held responsible. Therefore, home healthcare is becoming a more popular decision for many patients today.

Regulatory, Legal, and Reimbursement Hurdles

One of the primary reasons for not adapting to new technologies in the healthcare world is strict mandates. However, it makes sense that every healthcare facility puts these safeguards in place. When actions and decisions mean the difference between death and life, caregivers and physicians are often not willing or not allowed to deliver telemedicine services across countries or regions for fear of interference. Lagging reimbursement policies is another factor that has slowed down innovation and adoption of telemedicine. For example, the standards in which different states reimburse their Medicaid programs for telemedicine expenses tend to vary widely. Also, there lacks a widely accepted standard for patients and private players that would want to seek their approval in advance. In the case that a patient chooses home health, the patient’s medicine is brought and administered directly their home. By doing this, patients can avoid the worry of these strict mandates altogether.

Siloed Technology Stack

Organizations that are having a siloed tech stack aren't running as efficient as their owners would expect. That affects not only the experience of the customers but also communication and insight within internal departments. The role of digital transformation is to ensure that the right technologies are in place as well as making sure there is a transformation in the DNA of the company. Moreover, the sales cycle in the healthcare industry often seems long, and care physicians and clinical researchers need a set of technology that can provide long-term insights to clients. Care physicians and other stakeholders in the healthcare industry could take advantage of connected healthcare to eliminate the risk of human error and reduce costs. Nonetheless, as stated above, the move to the world of digital healthcare isn't smooth, and it faces a lot of challenges. While the shift to digital healthcare may be a shaky one, the benefits to enable patients to feel and be more secure far surpass any negative outcomes. And in the meantime, home health care will continue to bring forth the greatest security and quality health care possible while in the comfort of your own home.

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