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.
Sometimes it may feel like committee members are sitting at home deliberately thinking up the craziest things imaginable for you to do for your event. I assure you they are not. I have found that the committee members who come up with what seems like the craziest ideas are typically the ones most dedicated to your cause. Most likely, they are trying to come up with ways to set you apart from what they see their friends doing with other non-profit organizations.
If your organization does any fundraising, then you do too. Most non-profit organizations have fundraising events, usually including a signature event that requires an extensive amount of work. Large events are often more than your employees alone can manage and occasionally, as in a golf tournament, can be outside an employee’s realm of knowledge. Words like scramble, tee markers, and handicap may mean nothing to your employee, but your volunteer, who is an avid golfer, will derive great pleasure from assisting your employees with what is needed. Volunteer committee members are an integral part of creating a successful event, and I would say they are probably your most valuable asset.
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