Think for a moment about how your practice will look in the year 2025.
Will it change much from how you operate today?
The biggest changes will undoubtedly involve technology. There’s no arguing that digital transformation is coming on strong. While you don’t have to take a big leap of faith today and switch every system currently in place with a digital resource, you will start falling behind if you don’t have a plan for change.
Where will the most significant changes be? The top IT trends you should be preparing for are:
1. Patient experience management
Through digital and wearable tools, people are more in control over their health and wellness goals than ever before. This trend is only going to continue as patients demand to take on a bigger role in making decisions that impact their health. Every system and tool you create should make that experience easier and more informative.
2. EHR optimization
The more structure EHRs take in individual practices, the more efficient the medical system will become as a whole. Stronger EHR management will mean fewer chances of patient error, while cutting back on busywork for doctors and staff. This increases productivity, and allows medical staff to develop more meaningful relationships with their patients.
3. Anywhere, anytime
Wellness and healthcare no longer are confined to one location. Savvy organizations understand that business can take place anywhere. But that requires digital services to operate from cloud-based applications, with the ability to connect flawlessly from anywhere using a variety of devices. Integration will be mandatory between cloud silos and business applications.
4. Data security
The more connected we become, the more potential for security breaches to occur. Security is no longer something you can ignore. Instead, it has to be an active part of your daily operations. It’s essential to create a plan early on, and add to it as your system morphs and changes.
5. Digital health applications
Sometimes the best person for the job isn’t in your local community. Patients are becoming savvy at finding specific answers to their questions and aren’t afraid to use digital technology to get there. That makes it easier for doctors and other healthcare workers to build up specialties and find new methods for delivery.
6. Artificial intelligence
Artificial intelligence (AI) is coming on strong. By 2025 it is predicted that almost all new enterprise apps will embrace AI technology. Not only will this mean using AI in your daily practice to make your job easier, but it will also require IT governance around AI ethics. How will you be using it to build relationships with workers as well as patients? How will you be using it to make decisions? And more importantly, how will you ensure you, your patients, and your data all stay safe and meet federal requirements?
7. Innovation
Innovation will happen with or without you. For those who choose to ignore the incoming technology, they will be crippled by the tide. Spending on both technology and security as we enter this next phase will ensure rapid growth in some practices, decline in the rest. Practices must create their own IT strategies early on to ensure they are ready for all the future brings.
Are any of these IT trends on your goal list for 2020?
