As we look ahead at the year with fresh eyes on health IT, one thing is clear: opportunity exists across all areas of the healthcare continuum. As with any new opportunity though, concerns have also been brought to light. At the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), the agency is working on a pilot program that would allow first responders to access healthcare data immediately in emergency situations. Across the pond in Switzerland at the World Economic Forum, health IT leaders had a series of discussions around the “hospital of the future” and what it means for patients and providers alike. Finally, as healthcare organizations continue moving to the cloud, the new concern is not security but rather talent. Continue reading this week’s roundup for more on the latest in health IT.
With HHS Pilot, First Responders can Access Your Health Data Immediately
The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is planning to pilot a program that would let emergency medical services pull up clinical documents at the point of care – potentially at makeshift aid stations – so they “make more informed decisions for patients,” on the spot. The ultimate goal is for first responders to be able to quickly pull patient medical records at the site of initial encounter – including in the ambulance – and the pilot is a step in the right direction for HHS. Continue reading to find out more.
World Economic Forum Discusses the Hospital of the Future
The collection and integration of patient data will play a key role in transforming the healthcare industry; exactly how this transformation will occur is still very much up for debate. During a panel discussion about the “hospital of the future,” at the World Economic Forum, executives with telemedicine and healthcare technology companies argued that the healthcare industry is moving out of the acute care hospital and into homes and clinics, and wide range of data sources are coming together to help inform treatment plans. Continue reading for more.
Talent not Security Biggest Issue for CIOs Pursuing Cloud-Based Healthcare
Moving data to the cloud is one of the biggest trends across all industries. While the benefits of moving to the cloud are oft-cited, there’s been an assumption that what is holding CIOs back from wholesale data transfer to cloud are concerns about information security. But in a recent survey ClearDATA founder and chief privacy and security officer, Chris Bowen, says that CIOs have a handle on their information security concerns and the biggest obstacle now is finding the right talent to facilitate transition and manage the data. Deanna Wise, CIO of Dignity Health, shared her experiences in confronting these challenges in a recent interview with Healthcare IT News.
