8 Major Problems Healthcare CIOs Are Facing
The role of CIOs is increasingly changing as the business technology undergoes a major shift, making them face a difficult task of incorporating new technology while still retaining ethical standards of the healthcare industry.
Below are some of the major challenges faced by CIOs in their efforts of implementing new technology.
Security and Privacy
While security and privacy concerns have been created by modern technology, it has done really well when it comes to patient cares. Security challenges are come in two levels.
The first one is the current security risks. Although business protection is a key goal that businesses have worked to maintain, it’s still a challenge that many businesses struggles with. Most businesses unknowingly are prone to common vulnerabilities by leaving their data open.
The second problem is that of the Internet of Things (IoT). The more gadgets are connected to the Internet presents a great security challenge as brand new security threats are to be monitored. This disposes the business to new attacks and creates a new security problem that business must understand very quickly and be able to deal with it.
Big Data Management
Big data provides a big opportunity for the health industry. However, it presents a challenge in two areas.
First, IT leaders and business leaders we hear of regularly struggle with data access. They are faced with a problem in that when they need it, they can’t access their data.
Secondly, since the current world is data driven, every business have more data than ever before in terms of volumes which are growing with time; therefore, it’s not a walk in the park to turn your data into meaningful management information. For instance, a health institution offering ACLS certification programs would need surefire marketing strategies to ensure that only useful promotion tips are going to their respective consumers.
Government Regulations
IT workers and hospitals must spend a lot of time modifying and adjusting their systems in line with new government regulations that may be formulated. Also, hospitals have to ensure that every new technology has met the required regulation standards.
Cost
Technology is highly expensive mostly with new developments coming in after every other day. This has made the cost-benefit analysis to get into a new level of importance with hospitals and greatly moving towards their IT departments. In specific, procurement cost and supply chain management need more analysis to lower costs and increase efficiency. One of the disturbing problems is finding the right people to implement this process with the right business acumen. Such advances like the public cloud system are outside of HIPAA compliance, and therefore, EMRS must meet significant use standards.
Mobility and Interoperability
The mobile technology, Wi-Fi, and the Internet are common wants in the contemporary world where patients expect to constantly trade information easily and securely. However, the industry is faced with challenges of developing its technology. BYODs or personal devices are incompatible and insecure with many systems in the hospital. Mobile technology, such as exchangeable datasets and telemedicine will usually remain unviable without better interoperability.
Win the Talent War
As per the CIOs, the biggest barrier to success is talent. They believe that talent has stood in their way of achieving their objectives. This is however not a new challenge, but as technological advances are rapidly developing, the skill gap is also widening. Therefore, many businesses are having a difficult time in finding IT pros with the required skills.
Become an Innovation Center
In the past years, a notable change in the IT department has been experienced, from a business cost to a business driver. Modern IT departments drive the business technology and aren’t there to just keep the lights on. Evolution that is nowadays taking place in businesses recognizes the relevance of technology, making the CIO an innovation driver. While still “keeping the lights on,” they also take charge in pushing forward the business technology.
Drive the Digital Transformation
In the past few years, health industry has experienced the explosion of the digital transformation concept. A Recent survey indicates that 80 percent of businesses see it as a priority, but the fact remains that digital business is a reality. Digitalisation presents both an opportunity and a challenge, as it becomes a competitive advantage. The opportunity is in their organizations, as they become digital leaders by driving the digital transformation, and the challenge is that the process is slow.
A report from Gartner indicates that the number of CIOs who have taken up the “digital leader role” has gradually increased, but it’s still below 40 percent. In 2017, IT leaders and CIOs must take over the role if they are optimistic that their efforts in the digital transformation in their organisations will yield results.
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