Cyberattacks targeting the supply chain are an increasingly prevalent threat in the healthcare industry, especially as the modern healthcare supply chain contains significant digital elements, such as the patient engagement vendors that provide public-facing digital tools. These third-party apps and patient-facing tools process sensitive patient data and connect with a healthcare organization’s source systems on the supply chain. As such, they are tempting targets for cybercriminals, who can sell this data on the black market or lock it up with ransomware until they are paid.
Patient education is about more than simply spreading knowledge about the disease. It can also empower patients to better live with their condition and avoid complications–an approach known as therapeutic patient education[¹]
Digital technology can do wonders when it comes to streamlining the work of delivering efficient quality care to patients. The use of patient portals, EHRs, mhealth apps, and wearable tech can all empower patients to be more active in their healthcare, get faster treatment, and access preventative care earlier on. But with all the capabilities of modern technology, we find that many patients are slow to adopt digital tools. If this is the case for your healthcare organization, we recommend the following tips to increase adoption.
Technology has a lot of potential to improve efficiency and health outcomes in the complex practice of healthcare, from time-sensitive interventions in the hospital environment to long-term preventative measures among patient populations. Diagnostics, data management, patient engagement, and personalized medicine all stand to benefit from greater technology integration in a holistic, connected care model. Despite this, there are many hurdles that prevent technology from being adopted as quickly or effectively as it could be. Let’s take a look at the challenges contemporary healthcare organizations face.
Healthcare services are meeting patient demand by becoming increasingly digitized. These digital healthcare services are often developed by third parties and access electronic health records (EHR), revenue cycle management (RCM) systems, and other databases that include sensitive and legally protected information. While these electronic services are beneficial to both patients and providers, they create an increasingly complex software supply chain, with more potential vulnerabilities that are being targeted by hackers[¹]. Healthcare providers can find it difficult to manage effective oversight of these supply chains - including the relationships between different software tools, who has access to what data, and where there might be potential weaknesses.
Open Enrollment for the Health Insurance Marketplace began on November 15, 2014. After the first Affordable Care Act enrollment period, a Commonwealth Fund report (http://www.commonwealthfund.org/publications/issue-briefs/2014/jul/health-coverage-access-aca) found that the uninsured rate dropped from 20% to 15%.
Two Federal court rulings on one day have helped add to the already chaotic atmosphere surrounding the ACA implementation. Potentially affected are millions of lower and middle income Americans living in 34 states which utilize the federally run insurance exchanges. Three judges of the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled unanimously in favor of allowing the IRS to offer promised subsidies, while a three judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, in a split decision, ruled they could not. The case is likely headed to the U.S. Supreme Court, but that decision could be a year or more away. Meanwhile, what's a country to do?
More Than 7 Million Sign Up for Health Coverage, the headlines boast.
However, just as millions of Americans are obtaining insurance coverage through the federal health law, many primary care doctors are retiring early, converting their practices to concierge or joining large healthcare and hospital groups. The primary care physician, also known as a “provider,” may be headed toward extinction.
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