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Mobile: Critical Devices for Healthcare

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Up to 70% of healthcare professionals in the U.S. are using mobile technology while providing patient care but most healthcare organisations do not have a mobile strategy.

Mobile devices have huge potential to improve processes, increase efficiencies, reduce costs and increase compliance. A report from GE this year, estimates that there could be up to US$63 billion worth of global savings in healthcare with a 1% reduction in system inefficiency.  Enter the mobile solution.

The main barrier to enterprise mobility in healthcare is security, especially surrounding the sensitive nature of patient information while accessing EMRs (electronic medical records).  However, staff are already accessing medical data and consulting their personal devices for information – and this is a far bigger security risk than the risk involved in implementing a mobile strategy. Data breaches in the U.S alone cost health organisations almost $7 billion per year and worldwide, 54% of healthcare organisations have a had a privacy/security issue in the past two years.  Without a strategy, healthcare organisations have no control over how staff access information and this $7 billion could be set to increase rapidly.  It seems that the risk of not having a mobile strategy is greater than the investment in one.

This article will review some case studies (NHS, UK and Mount Sinai, Canada) of how some health organisations have successfully implemented a mobile strategy as well as Tigerspike advice on the topic.  The question is; can you afford to not implement a strategy?

Mobile enterprise solutions can bring an abundance of benefits to staff, patients and organisations including improving workflow, enhancing collaboration and reducing paper use, making the healthcare industry more effective and efficient.  The User Experience is hugely important to ensure uptake in your mobile strategy through producing a solution which feels amazing to use while staying ahead in the technology landscape.

A well-designed mobile solution can determine the best treatment for the patient through accelerating the decision making process, reducing complexity and human error, thus empowering healthcare decision makers.

MOBILE SOLUTIONS:

Personal Media devices have enabled the growth of so many solutions for patients to monitor their health.  Take the latest announcement from Apple around the HealthKit tool for developers which will be implemented through iOS8.  It offers users a centralised hub for health and fitness motoring.

Scanadu have created a mobile scanner which can be linked to your smartphone.  It empowers the user to monitor their health but can also share that information with your doctor.  You can read more about wearable technology in healthcare on our wearable technology blog here.

At an enterprise level, the uptake of mobile solutions has not been so widespread.  For many hospitals, CoW’s (Computers on Wheels) are still seen as the sole mobile device solution of choice as there is still a fear of implementing a mobile solution or a monitored BYOD solution.  We’ve researched some forward thinking health organisations who are currently trialling mobile solutions which showcases how efficiency, employee engagement and patient satisfaction/health can be improved.

 The NHS, the world’s fifth largest employer, has been trialling some customised mobile solutions across the UK, recognising that these devices are primary vehicles for engagement.  One hospital in South Devon has developed an iPad system which runs VitalPAC.  This system monitors and analyses patients vital signs on tablets and supports staff in recording patient observations bedside, while also reminds staff to observe patients at regular intervals. This encourages staff to pick up on any change in patient’s vitals sooner enabling faster decision making, more accuracy and improving efficiency.

Another initiative in Leeds, from the NHS is the HSCIC which has deployed the iPhone 4s across the organisation after dissatisfaction with Symbian devices.  With built-in encryption, staff having iPhones means data is encrypted, reducing risk of unauthorised access and remote wiping of devices.  They are now considering the introduction of iPads.

 Mount Sinai Hospital in Toronto, Canada has recently developed VitalHub, an iPhone app which gives physicians secure, remote access to patient records, test results, vital statistics and medical literature.  Overcoming the security issue, IT staff integrated the phones with the hospitals Microsoft Exchange Server while on the front end, password and VPN certificates ensure confidentiality.

Aside from using mobile devices in patient care, there are tremendous benefits for tablets to be used while training interns and residents. A recent study at the University of Chicago Medical Centre showed that interns and residents who were given tablets saved the equivalent of three hours per day and made fewer medication errors.  Relevant information can be accessed when needed on the go rather than consulting a CoW later on.  From a patient care perspective, tablets could be used in explaining procedures to patients, which are often not explained very well, causing confusion for patients.

SOME KEY TAKEAWAYS:

Tigerspike’s mission is to improve peoples lives through the power of personal media technology (mobile, tablet and connected devices), changing how people work and live.  Increased efficiency at work means employees can spend more time at home with their families.  Better informed patients and employees means healthier and happier patients and employees.

Tigerspike advise adopting a ‘launch and learn’ approach whereby you trial a solution in a small area of your business, gain feedback and release a widespread solution thereafter.  A centralised mobile solution will help your organisation maintain control of information that your staff access, improve pain points and  ultimately change the way staff work and interact with patients.

With regards security and integration with complex back end systems, Tigerspike has a multitude of experience in these areas and can offer advice to health organisations on mobile strategy. Some of our work in this space include companies such as Novartis, Merck Sharpe and Dohme, Kaiser Permanente and Resmed.

On the security front, Tigerspike have developed Karacell, a made-for-mobile encryption technology that addresses the issues of speed and power consumption.  In situations where organisations must still comply to government standards, an AES layer can be wrapped as a second layer around the inner Karacell layer, providing both the compliance of AES with the added security of Karacell.

We are hosting a number of events (from July), across our offices worldwide on the business imperative for investing in mobile and success stories from across the world.  This will be a cross-industry analysis so please do contact us should you be interested in attending.

The post Mobile: Critical Devices for Healthcare appeared first on Blog.


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