Mobility has become one of the main topics of discussion among healthcare provider CIOs today. Whether or not to mobile devices such as iPads and tablets within hospitals, doctor’s offices and other provider organizations is something that these IT leaders are strongly considering. As with everything in this world, mobility has its pros and cons within this space, so how do you know which route to take? Hearing the opinion of other CIOs may help, as well as understanding the benefits and drawbacks of either side of the decision.
From a patient point of view, it is definitely nice to not only see a healthcare provider embracing the evolving technology in the medical space, but it is also progressively nice to have them easily and manageably access their data from a handheld device right on the go within the hospital, office or center. When you need medical attention, why wait? We have the technology available—so, taking advantage of that to speed up the providers’ process is a huge advantage. Craig Cypress, Director of IT at ProngerSmith Medical Center, said, “This year we will introduce the iPad to our doctors. It makes sense for doctors to have access to data whenever they need it.”
It has come to the point in time when it is impossible to ignore how an internal mobility strategy can impact your healthcare organization. Therefore, if a CIO hasn’t already implemented mobility, he or she is definitely considering it or piloting/testing the solution “Our senior team has begun a business process re-engineering effort in order to be prepared for what we believe will be the full onslaught of healthcare reform. We have not yet launched a mobile strategy, however, I fully expect that to be one of the natural outcomes of this BPR project,” says Dr. Earle Charles, the CIO of Kedren Mental Health in Los Angeles.
Although a majority of CIOs are embracing mobility, there are still some skeptics. The main concern with mobility in healthcare provider organizations is the safety of data. Although data security is important in all businesses and organizations, healthcare CIOs can argue that it is even more crucial in their space because they are dealing with very sensitive and personal information. HIPAA really cracks down on the safety of patients’ information. “At this point, I don’t have a mobile strategy. Due to HIPAA concerns, I try to not let any data escape beyond my walls. I can control my data, but not always the users,” said David Bozwick, director of technology systems at Community Health Center in Akron, Ohio.
The question on the minds of CIOs is not necessarily which mobility platform to use, but whether or not they actually want to implement a mobility strategy at all. This question is a difficult one to answer as security challenges pose substantial issues while new mobile technologies continue to catch the eyes of CIOs. It is because of these tough decisions that I can safely say that I’m glad I don’t have to make them! The ball is in your court, IT leaders—choose wisely, and consider all elements when making your decision.
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