News in the Channel - issue #23

DATA MANAGEMENT IN HEALTHCARE

CONTINUED

solutions can seamlessly integrate with existing systems,” he says. “Robust security features are essential to protect patient data from unauthorised access and user-friendly interfaces make it easy for even non- technical staff to use the solutions. Healthcare organisations need solutions that offer scalability, flexibility and cost-effectiveness.” Oz adds that due to the sensitivity of personal health data and regulatory restrictions, healthcare customers are increasingly seeking data management solutions that give them more control over their personal health data. “They want secure platforms that allow them to manage consent and remain involved in decisions about data usage,” he says. “They want personalised care that prioritises their needs as an individual as opposed to being another number in a docket. The push for personal Digital Health Records reflects a trend towards greater transparency, control and patient-centric care. The shift to digital tools, such as for administering patient-satisfaction questionnaires, further enhances convenience and trust in data-driven healthcare services.” Danny says that healthcare customers are increasingly looking for sustainable strategies and solutions that meet certain requirements. For instance, it requires seamless integration between different healthcare systems and devices to enable a holistic view of patient data. He adds that solutions should also be scalable. “Solutions that can handle growing volumes of data as healthcare organisations continue to digitise and connect more devices,” he says. Danny adds that AI is also becoming increasingly popular, such as advanced analytics and AI-driven insights to support predictive healthcare, personalised treatment plans and operational efficiency. Security concerns Security is also paramount in data management solutions, says Steve Haines, chief commercial officer at Embridge Consulting. “A key consideration is who can access what data and controls within systems to manage this down to data level,” he says. “Being aware of and carefully managing the data you have and are working with, for example, ‘organisational data’ as opposed to ‘patient data’, who it’s being accessed for and for what purpose. “Organisational data can help inform decision making from a management perspective as opposed to patient data being

used to inform decision making on a patient- related matter. Of course, GDPR is of a central concern for anything that is patient orientated, especially regarding who has the right to access that data and for what purpose. “One key benefit with cloud is the confidence in data security that it offers. Security and managing GDPR requirements can be a minefield for many health organisations and the cloud can simplify this landscape. It’s important that teams overseeing organisation data protection are engaged early on as key stakeholders on any tech implementation project, whether of a data management system or any line of business system implementation, such as ERP that may be utilised for private patient billing. “Data has the power to inform decision making. The NHS is increasingly data rich, but often remains ‘information poor’. It’s about getting good quality data in the form of information to decision makers in a timely manner to help with informed decision making and providing the right intelligence to inform this decision making.” Secure document management Kevin Dobson, product manager for scan at Epson, adds that there is growing demand for secure document management in the healthcare sector. “The NHS, for instance, remains heavily reliant on paper processes, which has its fair share of challenges due to the sensitive nature of patient information and the shift towards hybrid work models,” he says. “Moving towards digitisation can address these challenges, making data management solutions crucial for the sector. “We’ve also seen recent government initiatives like the UK's 'Cloud First' strategy pushing healthcare organisations to adopt secure and compliant data management solutions, ensuring they meet public sector requirements and future-proof their operations. “Secure document management is essential for maintaining confidentiality, preventing data breaches and ensuring compliance with regulations such as GDPR. Therefore, technologies such as secure document signing and transfer are key for being able to confirm authenticity and safely exchange data among authorised individuals, across different work settings. “Efficiency and patient safety are further key reasons why data management solutions are so important for healthcare organisations. Digitising records secures confidential

Patrick Spencer VP

kiteworks.com

Resellers should focus on several key points when discussing data management solutions with customers.

David Malan sales director, UK & Ireland

start.docuware.com

43062

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