The healthcare industry is in a state of rapid transformation, due to the strain put on healthcare providers from the pandemic, population changes, the speed of technology innovation, and increased user-expectations.
As a result, IT professionals are having to rapidly scale up and implement new technologies to support an influx of patients while still ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements and limited budgets.
CHALLENGES
Finding cost-effective solutions that also provide excellent patient care is a continuous battle for IT leaders as they must not only remain up-to-date with the latest advances in technology but also understand how to make the most effective use of existing resources. To overcome this challenge, IT leaders must find ways to maximize efficiency while considering factors like cost savings, quality of service and impact on patient outcomes.
How to balance costs and quality in healthcare through effective IT outsourcing
Read blogIT professionals must stay abreast of all relevant laws, regulations, and industry standards in order to ensure that they are compliant. This can mean having to deploy additional processes and technologies, such as implementing strong cyber-security measures, to protect patient data; upgrading existing hardware; or building new applications and services that adhere to privacy rules.
In addition, IT teams must also be able to respond quickly and efficiently when changes are made to regulatory requirements, which can add further pressure on staff members who need to effectively manage these changes while still providing quality care.
The Importance of Cybersecurity, Data Privacy, and Regulatory Compliance in Healthcare
IT leaders in healthcare organisations are tasked with a huge challenge when it comes to managing the myriad of different stakeholders, from patients to suppliers and regulatory bodies. Each stakeholder brings its own unique set of requirements which must be taken into account if any solutions or updates are to be successful.
For instance, patients require an intuitive interface that allows them to review their records and complete forms easily. Suppliers, meanwhile, need systems that allow for efficient ordering and tracking of items. Regulatory bodies often demand compliance with stringent data security protocols while community organisations may need access to confidential information about clinical programmes and patient outcomes.
Improving stakeholder relationships and increasing efficiency in healthcare organisations
Healthcare organisations are particularly vulnerable to cyber-attacks due to the sensitive nature of their data, which can include patient records, financial information, and other confidential information. Worryingly, this is on the rise with Sophos finding that 66% of healthcare organisations were hit by ransomware in 2022, compared to 34% in 2020.
IT leaders in healthcare organisations must implement robust security measures such as encryption, multi-factor authentication, firewalls, intrusion detection systems and regular patching of software, alongside advanced security solutions and staff awareness training.
The Importance of Cybersecurity, Data Privacy, and Regulatory Compliance in Healthcare
Read blogMany hospitals, clinics, and other healthcare providers rely on outdated systems that are difficult to integrate with new technologies. In addition, these older systems typically lack modern security measures which can leave them vulnerable to malicious attacks.
Furthermore, legacy IT systems may lack the necessary functionality required to meet new industry regulations or take advantage of advancements in technology.
Organisations must find a way to cost-effectively ans securely integrate new technologies such as cloud services and analytics with existing legacy systems and create a digital transformation strategy.
From Legacy to Transformational: The Benefits of Cloud Migration for Healthcare Organisations
Traditional healthcare models were not designed with remote working or telemedicine in mind and existing systems may not be capable of supporting these new technologies.
For example, virtual consultations require specialised tools such as video conferencing platforms that can both protect patient privacy while also providing a high quality of care. IT leaders must invest in these specialised tools as well as essential hardware components such as webcams and external monitors so staff members can work efficiently from home or other remote locations.
The importance of seamless hybrid working for healthcare organisations
With the rise of cyber-attacks and the shift to hybrid working, healthcare organisations must be vigilant in protecting their data and systems from malicious actors.
OneAdvanced Cyber Security Services can provide stronger security through our proactive threat intelligence, dedicated teams of experienced security professionals and our ‘Everything’s Covered’ approach to keeping your people and data safe. We can give you that piece of mind that your environment is secure, whilst reducing the risk of a breach which can cause unrecoverable reputational and financial damage.
With multiple stakeholders, departments and teams, healthcare organisations need to be able to securely and effectively share data and communications across locations and devices.
Our Modern Workplace team provide remote access solutions, collaboration tools, and virtual meeting platforms. This may involve creating virtual private networks (VPNs) to allow employees to securely access resources from home, implementing project management tools, and using collaboration platforms such as Microsoft Teams. We can ensure productivity never dips, while you focus on strategic priorities.
Cloud can be hugely advantageous – providing you with wherever and whenever flexibility, allowing you to scale in response to demand, opex costing, and the possibilities for competitive advantage and productivity gains through automation and intelligent data.
We recognise that organisations are at different stages in their cloud journey, and we advise, assist, secure and operate wherever you may be. Our range of public, private and hybrid services enable us to provide you with the support you need to fully leverage the power of the cloud and drive your business forward.
Reliable IT infrastructure and systems are crucial to healthcare organisations, as any downtime or disruption can have severe consequences on the ability to collaborate, share data, and provide care to patients.
We are able to support individual applications through to your entire infrastructure environment, creating a tailored solution to suit your business. Our managed services can streamline IT operations while also improving security, compliance, costs, and overall business performance - guiding your organisation on the journey to a stronger future.
by OneAdvanced PR, Author
