Intelligent CIO Middle East Issue 70 | Page 46

CIO OPINION
In order to process data efficiently – companies must follow it to the Edge of the network , capturing it in realtime at its source versus transferring it back to a centralised hub .
The benefits are endless and the healthcare sector knows it . Our research showed that 86 % of health IT leaders identified the need to implement integrated systems to handle data at the Edge of the network as urgent , 71 % are already using or trialing Edge technologies and 74 % are delivering new outcomes as a result .
Step 2 : Analyse data intelligently
Of course , capturing the data is one thing , but acting on it is something else entirely . That ’ s where AI and automation comes in . Even before the pandemic around three quarters ( 74 %) of healthcare IT leaders were trialling or running AI applications on their network to deliver powerful insights . We are already seeing a growing role of AI in diagnosis , patient care and pharmaceutical development . For example , it plays a fundamental role in remote monitoring systems that prompt people to take pre-emptive action to avoid illness . It can also be used to support network troubleshooting , instinctively identifying issues and presenting resolutions at the push of a button . Rather than spending hours manually managing problems , IT teams are therefore free to innovate and utilise data for further Digital Transformation .
Step 3 : Storing data securely
The evolution of Digital Transformation in healthcare relies on people trusting that their data is safe and being used for their benefit . And yet , the growing use of IoT and connective devices poses increased risk for healthcare organisations . This is a big worry for healthcare IT leaders , with 61 % saying that connecting IoT devices at the Edge would make their business more vulnerable . Coupled with increased cyberattacks fueled by the pandemic , there is a critical need to lock down data enough to reassure users without freezing further Digital Transformation .
A Zero Trust approach to security is part of the answer , but network visibility and device identification also becomes key . By taking a centralised view of networks and giving IT teams the ability to grant differentiated levels of data access according to device or user group , healthcare organisations can secure their data without hindering digital evolution .
Without doubt , the pandemic massively accelerated the pace of the healthcare sector ’ s Digital Transformation . However , now the digital door has been flung wide open we need to keep it so . With the right combination of support , infrastructure and next-generation technologies , healthcare organisations can successfully maintain their drive towards a digital future . p
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