This past year, 2017, has been a challenging year for many industries, and healthcare is certainly no exception. Not only are there major challenges connected to an increasingly aging population and outdated healthcare infrastructure, but the industry is also adapting to the policies associated with a new presidential administration. While technology will continue to be a key part of the future of healthcare, one of the biggest changes will be a shift in mindset from mobile technology to mobile patients.
Tag Archives: Cybersecurity
Precision Medicine in 2017? Not So Fast…
As we head into HIMSS 2017, the movement toward precision medicine is at the top of the agenda. The idea of using data to customize care for patients is not new; however, with the passage of the 21st Century Cures Act late in 2016, what was once a far-off dream now seems closer to reality.
But are we really that close? Unfortunately, the answer is no, unless we address the key barriers to success: interoperability and cybersecurity.
Election 2016: Get Ready for a Healthcare Revolution
For over a year, the US has spent much of its time wondering who would be the next Commander-in-Chief, and what the implications would be with a Hillary Clinton or a Donald Trump presidency. Now that we have our answer – that Donald Trump will be leading the nation for at least the next four years – people across all industries are wondering how a new administration will impact their business.
What exactly will this new administration mean for healthcare IT? The space is relatively bipartisan. People on both sides of the aisle realize that technology can enable better patient care in a cost-effective way and has the ability to be far-reaching, providing better care options to those in rural areas. But there’s no doubt that the most recent election will drive some changes in 2017.
Cybersecurity: New Area for Mobile Medical App Compliance, Part 2
A two-part series examining regulatory compliance to raise awareness around cybersecurity risks.
The trap many developers – from software architects to programmers to designers – fall into is thinking they know enough about cybersecurity to adequately identify and address the risks, while falsely relying on the underlying OS for protection.
It is important to remember, cyber criminals are professionals diligently working on new ways to exploit networks, mobile phones and applications. Anything connected to the Internet must be assumed to be actively under attack, and even more so if the information within these devices is considered valuable. Reuters reported in 2014 that patient health credentials are 10 to 20 times more valuable than credit card numbers. The reality is that any network connection enabled by an app may introduce new risk.
Cybersecurity: New Area for Mobile Medical App Compliance, Part 1
A two-part series examining regulatory compliance to raise awareness around cybersecurity risks.
Regulatory compliance. While this phrase may strike an ominous tone for many traditional mobile app software companies, it is familiar territory for veterans in the mobile medical app space. It is unlikely the software developers behind the first calorie counting app gave regulatory compliance much thought. Applications, after all, have been a source of convenience, entertainment and education for years. However, as mobile apps have grown more integrated and mobile device sensor technology has become more sophisticated, that calorie counting app may be transformed into a tool for treating obesity, diabetes and sleep disorders. Smart software developers have come to realize that mobile medical apps are a way to future profits as well as a benefit to patients.
Mobile Health Matters 