Running a healthcare company in the internet age means having software solutions for more than just your office paperwork. More and more patients are looking for technological access to their records, their payments and even their doctors, and each of these solutions will have their own problems for you to deal with. There are five major issues that your solutions should prepare you for, and for which you should prepare your patients as you incorporate more tech into your practice.
Security
The number one healthcare issue, tech related or not, is security. The security of your patients, practice and information is under attack in both the physical and digital realms and having the right solutions can go a long way. One of the best ways you can increase your security, and that of your patients, is with a Virtual Private Network for connected devices. A VPN adds layers of security so your online activities can go undetected and is a good thing to recommend to your patients before they access any patient portals or telehealth services online. You can educate clients on this topic by providing information on how to pick a VPN to torrent with or to browse websites with.
Connectivity
Having high-speed digital access to patients and records is another issue that your practice may face as more and more healthcare related functions move online. With the right connectivity, you can integrate patient records across a network and have instant access to information from emergency room visits for a follow up in your office and vice versa. However, many internet service providers will throttle back connection speeds due to some types of online activity, such as an increase in telehealth appointments which require more bandwidth. A VPN for your practice can help reduce this throttling back as your online activities are encrypted and harder for your provider to track.
Policies and Reimbursement
Healthcare laws, insurance policies and even security concerns can stand in the way of your digital footprint as a practice by reducing the amount and type of telehealth services you can offer. More insurance companies are covering telehealth as they are seeing fewer expensive E.R. visits with more people calling a doctor on demand. However, many of these calls are going through the insurance company’s doctors and not private practice physicians. You can help reduce this trend by working with these companies to determine the local regulations and establish best practices.
Internet of Medical Things
The Internet of Medical Things, IoMT, is also called Healthcare IoT and refers to the connected infrastructure of software solutions and medical devices which communicate with healthcare IT systems. There are pros and cons to this infrastructure such as remotely monitoring pacemakers and automated insulin dosing systems to ensure patient health, and the high barrier to entry into this type of infrastructure. The more information you can gather on your patients, from devices like step counting watches and dieting apps, the easier it will be to gather statistics for individualized healthcare solutions. As this technology grows, the barriers to entry are likely to be lowered, but it may be a better idea to research local partnerships and regulations to get started with Healthcare IoT than to wait out the barriers.
Training and Equipment
Physicians, patients and IT departments will need to be trained in the use of these solutions and you may need specialized equipment. These problems can seem like significant barriers for smaller practices or those in remote areas where finding the right personnel and training can be difficult. Many software solutions are available for computer-based learning with mockups of the various systems you want to implement and can be offered to patients and staff.
Growing access to all things digital means a growing demand for healthcare processes to go digital as well. This can offer your practice many benefits, but can come with concerns for security, connectivity and costs. The right software solutions can help you reduce the concerns while still offering the best healthcare possible to your patients.
