A recent study commissioned by Jamf, found that a whopping 96% of healthcare IT decision-makers were concerned about managing staff mobile devices. In this article, Jamf's Dave Alampi speaks about current mobile device management (MDM) challenges in healthcare, and discusses how the NHS can utilise MDM as an effective tool to meet its digital transition goals
In February of last year the Government announced the ambitious, but achievable, goal of making the NHS paperless by 2020.
Such a move will raise healthcare in line with other industries by tapping into the capabilities of connected services.
Allowing for a whole network of devices, such as tablets, phones and healthcare equipment, to be controlled remotely via the internet, the potential for connected services is huge
Allowing for a whole network of devices, such as tablets, phones and healthcare equipment, to be controlled remotely via the internet, the potential for connected services is huge.
Take, for example, smart homes. These residences have their heating, lighting and electronic devices all controlled remotely by a smartphone, allowing the homeowner to come home to the central heating on, the curtains drawn, and the dinner cooked.
According to The Guardian, the US is currently leading the charge with the highest number of installed smart home devices: 12.7m - a figure which is estimated to grow to 35% of American homes by 2020. Such connected systems cut costs, improve efficiency and enhance client satisfaction.
Mobile device management is not realising its full potential in healthcare for the fundamental reason that users don’t know how to capitalise on the technology at their disposal
Healthcare, with the need to streamline large quantities of appointments, improve patient care, and relay information in real time, can benefit from a connected infrastructure - but this is not without its own challenges.
In the interest of advancing healthcare systems globally, Jamf commissioned a report on the role of mobile device management (MDM) in healthcare.
The overwhelming majority (96%) of those IT decision-makers surveyed highlighted concerns when considering the management of mobile devices for staff; three key concerns emerged:
1. Security fears
In a healthcare environment, security was found to be the number one concern when considering management of staff mobile devices.
The problem is three-fold: fear of hacks; data privacy, and inappropriate device and data use by staff.
In a situation where medical data is worth 10 times the value of financial information on the black market, the security of caregiving staff’s mobile devices is paramount.
Such apprehension isn’t exclusive to caregivers. In fact, over 40% of IT decision-makers are not confident in the security of the applications their staff is using.
2. Lack of user confidence
Mobile device management is not realising its full potential in healthcare for the fundamental reason that users don’t know how to capitalise on the technology at their disposal.
One in four healthcare organisations with a mobile device management strategy in place is not confident in their current solution.
Such a lack of confidence is testament to how MDM in healthcare is currently missing its overarching target: allowing staff access to confidential information on the move, thereby augmenting their responsiveness to patient needs and strengthening healthcare delivery.
3. Organisation responsiveness
The systems and education in place are not providing staff, who are already overstretched, with the support to understand when to update their systems in order to remain compliant with such regulations as HIPAA and the EU Data Protection Regulation.
MDM offers the possibility of a transition to a paperless NHS, resplendent with the benefits of greater convenience for patients and faster diagnoses, pain free
Such a concern doesn’t reside solely at the individual level; just half of respondents believe that their organisation is capable of quickly adapting to new regulations.
In light of the recent vote in the UK to leave the EU, issues relating to compliance have become all the more pertinent to British practitioners, creating a vacuum for an effective MDM system, capable of adapting to the changing red-tape-environment.
While 83% of respondents’ organisations currently provide mobile devices - smartphone or tablets - to caregiving staff, such as doctors and nurses, and 32% hope to expand this to patients receiving outpatient care in the next two years, the imperative for an effective MDM system has never been more pertinent.
MDM offers the possibility of a transition to a paperless NHS, resplendent with the benefits of greater convenience for patients and faster diagnoses, pain free.
The bar has been set for MDM to overcome these challenges, and the vacuum exists for an effective software company to rise to the occasion
The need is there, the desire to learn exists and the investment capital is available.
The path to a paperless NHS is clear, though the outlined problems are indicative of bumps in the road. There is no doubt as to the capabilities of connected services.
The bar has been set for MDM to overcome these challenges, and the vacuum exists for an effective software company to rise to the occasion.