Mobility ‘Solutions’ a Trend Practices Should Embrace

As it’s still early in 2011, it’s no surprise that we’re still seeing reports highlighting the “biggest” trends in 2011.

Though some of the biggest trends outlined in a newly released white paper from eHealth Initiative (in collaboration with GE Healthcare) have already gotten a lot of ink (meaningful use, ICD-10 transitions), there’s another trend discussed in the paper we think would benefit from more media attention: The growing volume and diversity of mobility solutions available to providers.

According to the authors, mobility solutions that provide secure access to clinical intelligence, streamline work flows, and provide timely alerts and feedback will experience tremendous growth in 2011. And they’re not just talking about iPad and iPhone apps.

Rather, authors predict that “2011 will see an explosion in the volume and diversity of mobility solutions as new devices, carriers, and operating systems hit the market.”

This growth, according to

by Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Enterprise Forum of the Northwest, is partially fueled by the growing number of baby boomers and seniors who are embracing mobile health (and, in turn, the growing number of doctors who are comfortable with newer technologies). We think it’s also fueled by Federal incentives, competition among vendors for dollars in a strong market (healthcare), and the sex appeal of new technology.

That said, there is a not-so-sexy downside to more mobility: concerns about privacy - and the cost of protecting it.

“Provisioning for and securing these devices within a healthcare organization will stretch already thin IT resources,” the authors predict.

For those not yet plugged into mobile health, we recently published a guide that addresses mobile platforms, and how physicians can cut through the noise and join the movement. Our guide also addresses cost, privacy, and security concerns faced by today’s practices.

In coming weeks, we’ll look at a few related tech trends in 2011, including the growth of image exchange, plus patient engagement through digital channels.

In the meantime, we’d like to hear from you: What do you think are some of the most important concerns practices should keep in mind while embracing various tech trends and technological shifts in patient care? Post your answer below.