CIO - The healthcare sector of IT walks a tightrope consisting of privacy, data security and the need to grow and update the infrastructure. HIT faces more challenges with HIPPA laws and privacy concerns then most other areas and with the convergence of mobile technologies, cloud computing, virtualization, clinical analytics and the upcoming IDC-10 (International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems), HIT could be the most active area within the IT sector next year. To help you hone in on where the career opportunities lie, here are eight HIT trends for 2013.
1. Mobile Healthcare
The adoption of smartphones and tablets in HIT comes as no surprise. These devices are helping doctors, nurses and other healthcare workers get their jobs done on the move.
It's easy to see the promise that mobile technology holds for the future of healthcare, but the challenges lie in security and HIPPA privacy regulations. "This is a huge topic for any organization. Whether it is a mobile cart, a tablet or a smartphone, you need to give caregivers access at their fingertips. The [other] challenge in healthcare is that it's not a one-size-fits-all initiative. Beyond just finding a solution for all you then have to worry about security and application presentation to all of these types of devices," says Joseph Hobbs, CIO at Community Hospital at Anderson located in Anderson, Indiana.
2. Cloud Computing and Virtualization
Not only are CIOs faced with growing and updating infrastructure, they also have to find a way to do it while saving money and resources. Virtualization is one of the ways IT professionals in HIT is trying to achieve this goal. It has been becoming more and more common and will likely continue, making IT workers with skills in cloud and virtualization in demand in 2013. "Most organizations have already been virtualizing servers and storage, a trend that will continue," says Spooner.
Cloud computing while being adopted on nonmission critical systems is still being held back due to HIPPA privacy and security concerns, but as the cloud industry matures and security catches up, companies will likely move more and more systems to the cloud, so they can focus on their core business objectives. "Cloud computing is accelerating at a somewhat slower pace, with organizations more frequently adopting private cloud technologies as vendor offerings mature, [and] prove their security models and become more cost-effective," says Spooner.
3. Big Data/Clinical Data Analytics
"Clinical analytics are a top priority for all providers, and big data is beginning to move from research to mainstream," says Spooner. Using clinical analytics, doctors can see what the most common ailment and conditions are; look at recovery rates for different procedures; and monitor vital signs of patients remotely, in real time.
With the promise of big data (solving the unsolvable problems, informing better decision making, creating new products and services, discovering patterns and acting on them, etc.) on the horizon, what has really changed? Does this mean that everything we know and do with not-so-big data should be tossed?
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