While most hospitals and health systems are in agreement that mobility will play a key role in their future, many are overwhelmed on where to start. Each organization has its own unique infrastructure, workflow and set of needs – not to mention a range of different technology systems – to fit into the equation. However, there is a standard equation healthcare leaders should follow when selecting a mobility solution that will lead to quality, efficiency and financial gains – and position them for future success, regardless of regulatory changes that may come down the road. When added together, the following elements will equal success for every hospital or health system’s mobile health efforts:

• Clinician centered – For a mobility solution to be effective, it has to be built around the clinicians’ workflow and needs. The right information has to be readily accessible in a highly usable form whenever and wherever clinicians need it as they deliver patient care. For most systems, this will mean using native applications that can provide diagnostic-quality data to aid in real-time patient care decisions.

• Data transformative – Mobility solutions should reduce silo fatigue, not add to it. An effective solution should be a single source of truth that stretches across the enterprise, cutting across the different forms of data and transforming them into usable information that clinicians can act on. Mobility should bridge the disparate systems and competing vendors that are currently plaguing health systems.

• Business beneficial – Any investment, mobility included, should support hospitals’ business needs and initiatives. Whether it’s reducing lost revenue, avoiding costs and readmission penalties, capturing new revenue opportunities, or aligning initiatives to meet Meaningful Use metrics, mobility should play a role in keeping hospitals financially healthy.

• Care conducive – Mobility solutions should provide a view across the entire care continuum so clinicians can provide consistent care during patients’ entire stay and after. It should also serve as the key to true care team collaboration, enabling different departments and clinicians outside of the hospital to access the same information at the same time and collaborate around the best decisions for patients, resulting in quality care and better outcomes – the ultimate goal.

Depending on a health system’s situation, there are other variables that will need to be considered as part of the mobile health equation – however, the elements above should equal a positive solution for organizations looking to take the next step with mobility.