3 Reasons Healthcare Digital Transformation Comes at a Slow Pace
Technology innovations in healthcare have long lagged behind those of many other industries, such as aviation, e-commerce, and logistics. For example, smartwatches can now collect health information and communicate it with smartphones, but rarely is this information ever registered in health records or transmitted to providers.
The slow pace of digital transformation in healthcare is a complex issue with many factors. Here, we explore the challenges of driving digital transformation in healthcare and examine possible approaches to overcome this slow evolution through teamwork and improved software development.
Three Challenges of Healthcare Digital Transformation
The primary challenge of driving digital transformation in healthcare is regulatory compliance. While regulation exists to maintain data privacy and security for patients, these rules limit healthcare organizations' ability to quickly adopt new digital technology because they are at risk of high fines for noncompliance. For example, Banner Health paid $1.25 million after the discovery of noncompliance with the HIPAA security rule. Healthcare organizations must ensure that any technologies that they adopt comply with the regulations set by agencies such as the Food and Drug Administration, Office for Civil Rights, and United States Department of Health and Human Services, slowing the adoption of new digital technology. They must also ensure that their digital technology is secure and protects patient data from unauthorized access, which can be challenging to incorporate into new technologies, as data privacy and security may require additional expertise and costs.
Limited resources also slow the adoption of new digital technology in healthcare. Whether it’s a hospital running on thin margins or a new startup company with limited venture capital funding, few organizations have the financial or personnel capital to quickly develop and implement new, useful healthcare technology. Compared to other well-known technological innovations, such as social media, technology for healthcare requires additional capital expenditures due to the cybersecurity and technical expertise involved. Cybersecurity is particularly expensive because threats evolve daily. Additionally, training users and providers on how to utilize digital technology can be particularly costly for healthcare organizations with limited budgets and resources.
Finally, technical complexity can prevent digital transformation in healthcare. Many existing technologies in healthcare have multiple functions, making it challenging for new ones to enter the market because they must have the capacity to address myriad caregiving issues. For example, the adoption of the Oracle Cerner system for the Department of Veterans Affairs has experienced delays due to various problems with medication management, patient referrals, and other orders.
Furthermore, it can be challenging to convince healthcare providers and organizations to adopt new digital technology due to the learning curve required to achieve proficiency. New electronic medical record system implementation has been shown to lead to longer procedure times in procedural settings. Since healthcare providers are often overworked and have limited time for training, any new technology must be easy to use and integrate seamlessly into existing workflows.
How to Achieve Healthcare Digital Transformation
Despite these challenges, digital transformation in healthcare can be achieved with teamwork and user-friendly software. Approaches such as augmenting teams with outside help may provide the knowledge and experience needed to deliver useful digital technology innovation within healthcare. For example, healthcare organizations can partner with technology companies to develop and implement new healthcare digital transformation solutions that address their unique needs. The healthcare organization can provide the healthcare expertise, and the technology company can provide the technological expertise to deliver a successful product. Other players, such as consultants, can also be brought into the team to help advise parties on how to adhere to the complex regulatory requirements and make the project financially feasible. Partnership and leveraging each person’s and organization’s talent and strengths can help healthcare organizations overcome a few of the technical and financial challenges associated with implementing new digital technology.
Software is an additional tool that can help drive healthcare efficiency when designed in an easy-to-use manner that interfaces well with other technologies. Electronic health record systems are prime examples that have transformed healthcare. They enable healthcare providers to access patient records quickly and easily, reducing the risk of errors and improving patient care. However, they have their own challenges, such as usability and interoperability issues with external sources of data collection, like blood pressure cuffs and other measurement devices. For example, nurses would save a notable amount of time if they did not have to manually enter every vital sign that was recorded. Ultimately, healthcare organizations must ensure that any software they adopt is user friendly. New software should also be interoperable with other systems, allowing for seamless integration into existing workflows so providers can become more efficient.
Ideally, software solutions can address specific challenges in healthcare. For example, telemedicine is a rapidly growing field that enables healthcare providers to diagnose and treat patients remotely. It has the potential to improve patient access to care, particularly in rural or underserved areas. However, telemedicine also has its own challenges, such as concerns about data privacy and security and the need for reliable internet connectivity.
Ultimately, many subsectors within healthcare could benefit from technological transformation, but technology developers and healthcare providers face numerous financial, regulatory, and technical hurdles. The best overall framework to address this is to build a great team with regulatory, healthcare, and technological experts with wide-ranging professional experiences that will bring healthcare digital transformation to market at a faster pace.
Here at OtterSoft, we help healthcare technology providers drive innovation and integrate smoothly with legacy systems to keep things in motion, address the challenges of healthcare innovation, and seamlessly sync information. To see how we can help you overcome the challenges of healthcare innovation, contact us today!