It seems that the technology influencing healthcare IT management changes on a daily basis. When it comes to hospital data, there is always room for improvement as more and more healthcare providers are loading up on data and looking for ways to streamline the process.
Part of what’s pushing this need for more efficient hospital IT processes is the many healthcare reforms underway, which is actually forcing the hand of many hospitals to become more current in their technology. Even the smallest healthcare providers in the most rural areas are seeking out ways to improve their hospital data sharing and storage solutions.
Across the nation, healthcare providers are expecting more out of their IT departments and hospital data. Chief information officers have taken high-level positions within hospital administrations. Many hospital groups are looking to the IT departments to help drive more profits, whether it’s through cost savings or as “profit centers” that improve cash flow through providing excellent analytics.
One of the problems many healthcare providers face is an overlap in technology that affects governance of the data and how it is stored, accessed and shared between healthcare professionals. Within any hospital, departments have systems that duplicative or overlap, which might point to mistrust in data silos or data centers where sensitive information is not thoroughly covered in terms of adequate disaster recovery, the information is at risk of being compromised, or both.
More healthcare providers are looking at quality improvement and outcomes, if not for the better quality of care of their patients, then because of the healthcare reforms that have been thrust upon them. Electronic healthcare records processes can go more smoothly with some vendors than others. In some cases, administrators are tasked with convincing their doctors and nurses that the new methods they are adopting are worthwhile and efficient, which might not always be the case.
Data management has become extremely complex as the responsibilities placed on IT staff members have changed. The number of patients seeking out medical imaging is an area of particular interest as images can take up large masses of storage space. Many hospitals were on the cutting edge of technology when they invested a large amount of money in CD burning technology. As more radiologists backed away from film and jumped into the digital age, the new standard in image sharing was through CDs.
The majority of hospitals and clinics have either adopted or are considering adopting image storage and sharing processes that rely on data centers rather than manually burned CDs. With the assurance provided through Level IV data centers, healthcare providers are pleased with the disaster recovery efforts and security of the centers.
OffSite Image Management, Inc., a company that uses Level IV data centers for its solutions, offers an affordable, efficient and safe way to store, access and share medical imaging. As the responsibilities of healthcare IT personnel increases, OffSite has stepped up to provide a solution that works in the most remote regions of the nation as well as the most crowded healthcare facilities in city centers.