Healthcare IT: Why you should click ‘Install now’ for effective next-gen infrastructure

Your phone lights up, but it doesn’t buzz: “The latest software is available for your device and ready to install.”

It’s a simple choice: “Install now” or “Install later.”

You can always install later; after all, you don’t technically even know what you’re missing.

Or you could just install now. Then again, how many pictures would you have to delete to make room for even the smallest of software packages?

And so you hit “later”—again. And again. And again. Until you finally delete some vacation photos from 2018, making just enough room to install the software that stuffs your storage to the gills and slows your operating system to a crawl. Until you finally slap your outdated phone on the customer service counter and beg them for the latest model, which is four models beyond the one you’ve been battling. You’ve wrestled with progress and paid the price.

Your healthcare technology is no different. But it’s not just your phone or your frustration on the line—it’s a waiting room of patients that’s as full as your digital photo albums. Modernizing your organization’s IT is not just an optional upgrade but a critical step toward transforming patient care. For healthcare leaders, this transformation is vital for enhancing patient safety, securing sensitive data, and streamlining hospital operations. But even the most eager of upgraders needs the infrastructure to support it. Before you hit that install button, you have to know what to prioritize.

Top IT priorities for healthcare CIOs

There’s no shortage of reasons why healthcare decision-makers are excited about the prospect of an upgrade. Advanced IT infrastructure enables real-time access to medical records, fortifies defenses against cyber threats, and simplifies routine tasks through automation. What’s more, it paves the way for sophisticated data analytics that aid in informed decision-making, ensuring regulatory compliance and potentially reducing costs over time. Updated systems are also scalable, accommodating growth and integration of new technologies while increasing patient engagement by providing better access to health records and communication tools.

Let’s dive into the details:

Strong cybersecurity

To safeguard patient data—a paramount concern for every healthcare organization—CIOs must implement comprehensive cybersecurity programs. These programs should encompass advanced tools for risk assessments and regular staff training, ensuring a robust defense against cyberattacks. In 2023, 46 hospital systems were victims of ransomware attacks, up from 25 in 2022 and 27 in 2021. Among those 46 attacks, at least 141 hospitals were disrupted due to the lack of access to IT systems and patient data. For healthcare systems, the ability to securely share and visualize data across the care continuum is crucial. Secure data exchange not only protects patient information but also enhances collaborative efforts, driving better health outcomes.

Data analytics intelligence

Though it hasn’t always been smooth, managing huge volumes of complex patient data allows healthcare leaders to draw actionable insights, which ultimately leads to improved patient care and operational efficiencies. The use of predictive analytics and artificial intelligence (AI) is making this kind of management and decision-making even easier, and is drawing more and more investment. For example, large language models (LLMs) can support clinical decision-making around medication management and deprescription for geriatric patients. That’s just the beginning of its potential applications.

IT administrative operations

Modernizing operations within IT is vital for both business operations and patient and clinician experiences. In fact, unplanned system downtime can cost mid-sized hospitals up to $45,700 per hour. Ensuring this never happens to you means making your healthcare environment more responsive, as well as optimizing talent management and budgeting to ensure the most efficient use of resources.

The solutions at hand

Storage solutions: Modern data storage solutions are foundational in the quest for better care and enhanced patient outcomes, providing the infrastructure needed to handle large amounts of data securely and efficiently.

Networking solutions: These support exceptional care delivery and operational excellence by making certain that communication and data flow smoothly across different departments and facilities.

Backup and recovery solutions: Having these is critical for maintaining continuous access to vital patient records. To prevent incomplete data backups or failed data restoration, get solutions that can ensure care delivery remains uninterrupted, even in the face of system failures.

Rapid IT activation with integrated data center solutions (IDCS): Speeding up IT deployments and minimizing risks is essential for efficient healthcare operations. Integrated data center solutions (IDCS) provide validated frameworks that reduce deployment times and associated threats.

Install now with SHI

Right now, you’re at a crossroads, still staring at the two buttons while your future patients stare at you. With their health on the line, they’d likely agree: It’s okay to demand more from our healthcare IT and to see progress as a mandate rather than an option, even if you need help making it happen.

For over 30 years, SHI has been at the forefront of guiding organizations like yours through the intricacies of industry trends. Our healthcare experts are dedicated to helping you gain visibility into your systems and devising a roadmap tailored to your specific needs based on best practices.

Even if your patients prefer receiving care in the comfort and safety of their homes, SHI is here to help, pioneering home-based and virtual care solutions. These innovations not only meet regulatory requirements and reduce IT costs but also enhance sustainability and accessibility, particularly in rural communities.

Whether you’re part of a public, academic, or private healthcare system, we’re committed to assisting healthcare organizations in building robust technology plans, securing suitable contracts, leveraging grant funding, and fostering innovation.

Don’t be okay with “Install later.” Connect with SHI’s dedicated healthcare team now to discover tomorrow’s infrastructure and foster a healthier future.