Mobile-first technology – bringing healthcare into the digital age



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According to research, Accident and Emergency (A & E) have been hitting their worst level since NHS records began, resulting in being considered the toughest month to date for the NHS. Around the world, people are living longer – often with chronic disease. This is a question of putting a strain on qualified personnel.

Just as the demand for healthcare is rampant up, many countries and their healthcare systems are experiencing a shortage of physicians, nurses and allied health professionals. According to recent news, the NHS is facing a shortage crisis that could have had 250,000 vacancies in a decade.

Whilst the UK's National Health Service (NHS) is currently in the process of becoming more of a reality. The NHS needs to re-evaluate its communication systems, from not only to an internal perspective but also within the doctor-to-patient relationships. To be able to exchange clinical data, while remaining compliant with regulations imposed by the industry, there is a need for the NHS to adopt mobile-first technology that allows complete visibility of all mobile operations across the healthcare system. But how exactly does the NHS achieve this?

Increased mobility means improved standards of care

Globally, mobile technology is revolutionizing healthcare and increasing the standard of care for patients. Providers are using mobile devices to improve the standard of care, both by hospitals and remotely, by helping to streamline clinical workflows, improve the speed and accuracy of diagnosis and treatment, and strengthen patient communication. For many CIOs, mobile devices and applications also have the potential to impact non-clinical workflows and hospital operations. These include self-registration kiosks, appointment scheduling and the ability to remotely allocate tasks to porters based on location, priority and workload.

Mobility solutions such as these decreasing the time to spend more time on administration. With a hardware agnostic solution, IT departments and help desks can have a single, integrated, real-time view across their wireless networks of all deployed devices.

With these clear benefits, why are we not adopting a mobile-first approach?

Data privacy is a major concern for the healthcare sector. Some believe that migrating data from legacy equipment, even paper, to new digital devices, may compromise security and privacy. Recent cyberattacks on the NHS, such as the WannaCry ransomware attack, have not helped both internal and public perception. For the hospital or healthcare organization, the cost and consequences of healthcare data breaches can be significant. In addition to lost customers, remedial action can include litigation, forensic investigations and security audits.

As hacking, phishing and ransomware was not enough, the IoT is making security much more difficult. Hacking, data breaches, and ransomware.

Relieving the security headache …

With the right solution in place, Trusts can be more secure. If a device is ever lost or stolen, IT can immediately lock and wipe it, arranging the organization of penalties and damaged reputations from breaches. A geo-based tracking feature will probably be found, it's lost. Devices can also be encrypted for secure data transmission when using notoriously insecure WIFI networks.

A mobile-first approach will unlock the benefits of remote care. It has been provided that it is possible to provide access to healthcare services, enabling patients to be addressed as early as possible, and to free up vital hospital space for priority patients.

Without an integrated mobility system in place for remote care, the NHS really can not afford. Features such as remote help desks will allow them to be diagnosed and diagnosed in real-time.

Putting the 'care' back into healthcare

Remote tools such as self-management and self-management will be key to empowering patients with the ability to further understand their condition and thus manage it appropriately. This kind of support can improve both behavioural and clinical outcomes.

Decision makers within the sector must look to a robust and mobility management solution in order to improve the efficiency of the healthcare industry. To be successful in its transition to a digital age, the NHS must make use of mobile technology and take a unified approach to the management of mobile devices, applications, content and data.

Ensuring reliability and security measures are crucial for building confidence and rebaduring those in the sector.

Whilst this is not the only solution, integrating a mobile-first approach will be the first step. This short-term expense will be key to boosting efficiency and improving patient care, providing a long-term gain in the healthcare sector.

Leigh Moody, UK Managing Director, SOTI
Image Credit: Lightpoet / Shutterstock

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