Our IT Forefront blog covered a range of topics this year, including the Meltdown and Spectre security bugs, how hospitals are leveraging IT to address social determinants of health, and the hospital Meaningful Use overhaul. It was also a busy year for topics like innovation and digital disruption. Here's a recap of our most popular blogs in this category from 2018:
1. Executives rank Amazon as the most likely to disrupt health care—are they right?
Provider executives surveyed believe Amazon will be the tech company most likely to disrupt health care in the near future. Amazon's moves have indeed been significant, are they the industry's "killer app"-in-waiting?
Related webconference: Digital health systems: The innovation journey continues
2. Augmented intelligence—virtual assistants come to health care
Recent advances in artificial intelligence (AI) technologies have accelerated progress in a broad range of natural language processing (NLP) applications for health care, including the use of AI-enabled virtual assistants. Read on to see some recent examples of organizations leveraging these tools.
Related infographic: Nine ways to harness the Internet of Things in health care
3. Will smartphones become the hub of your digital patient strategy? Apple thinks so.
Mobile health apps have largely failed to deliver on their early hype, but advances in both EHRs and mobile platforms may change the equation, making it easier to deliver engaging, personalized apps patients will actually use.
Related research report: Connected care series: Patient-generated health data
4. Artificial intelligence reality check: Your team must prepare for these challenges
Artificial intelligence holds promise for health care, but organizations should evaluate the potential challenges that lie ahead before diving into applications. Read on to find out some business, legal, and ethical considerations your team should make before implementation.
Related research report: The artificial intelligence ecosystem
5. Is your health system's chief digital/innovation officer positioned for success?
In recognition of their need to transform, many health systems are tasking a senior leader with the job to catalyze digital innovation across the organization. But creating the role is not enough—you must set this leader up for success with the right resources and an organizational structure that will support change.
Related resource: Digital health systems: Exponential and disruptive technologies