Industry News
Positive Future for Connected Health Technologies in U . S . Hospitals
10
April / May 2016
The results of the 2016 HIMSS Connected Health Survey have revealed an optimistic picture when it comes to the emerging use of connected technologies in hospital ecosystems .
With more than 50 per cent of respondents indicating their hospital currently uses three or more connected health technologies , the high adoption rates ( and other supportive statistics in the report ) underscore the growing importance these technologies play in the hospital setting .
Recognising the potential connected health tools have for care coordination efforts , the study was undertaken to determine the use of a broad array of connected health technologies deemed to be relevant to expanding the hospital ’ s reach into non-traditional care settings . The findings of the study not only provide a barometer of the hospital market ’ s adoption of connected health tools , but also illustrate where providers , vendors and policy makers are focusing their efforts to encourage the use of connected health tools in facilitating post-hospital care coordination efforts .
Respondents found that the technologies implemented within hospital settings positively impacted capabilities to communicate with patients along with the ability to deliver a higher standard of care . In addition , 69 per cent of respondents whose hospitals are utilising mobile optimised patient portals indicated that the attention to a mobile environment expands the capability to send and receive data securely . Given these positive impacts , it ’ s understandable why healthcare organisations are looking to increase their investment in these tools for the future .
“ The healthcare ecosystem is increasingly converging on patient centric technology solutions ,” said Tom Martin , Ph . D ., Director of Healthcare Information Systems for HIMSS . “ The role of the provider is to expand far beyond the walls of the exam room , especially as our healthcare system transitions towards value based purchasing . The Connected Health findings illustrate the importance of interactive relationships between physicians and individuals and technology as a means to advance comprehensive health and healthcare .”
Use of connected health solutions appears to be a widely accepted standard practice among hospitals in the U . S . Not only did a majority of respondents ( 81 per cent ) indicate their organisation uses at least one of the technologies included in