Issue link: http://cp.revolio.com/i/915954
THE DATA CENTER JOURNAL | 13 www.datacenterjournal.com As health care moves to a value-based care model (the DHHS has recently moved dollars from fee-for-service to value-based programs), more onus is on patients to improve their health. Simultaneously, next- generation technologies like the Internet of Things (IoT) and artificial intelligence (AI) are changing health care. This influx of information technology will continue to have an impact on the outcomes of health- care facilities and their patients. THE DATA CENTER JOURNAL | 13 www.datacenterjournal.com w ith this new model becom- ing increasingly prevalent across the industry, patients must have access to their health records and information in real-time to be fully empowered consumers. Archaic technology and outdated approaches still in place today will slow this process and stunt the access that patients need. Health organizations need to adopt the best technology and infrastructure to sup- port new demands. To facilitate the ongoing evolution of technology in the health-care industry, robust cloud and data center services are needed to support innovation, better patient care, quality and safety. ough these technology services take place behind the scenes, IT professionals are responsible for running applica- tions efficiently, storing data securely and aiding health-care organizations in meeting the demands of customers and in complying with government requirements. It takes a team of experts to run the right processes and ensure an efficient health-IT infrastructure. Health-care CIOs, in particular, are constantly weighing all options to ensure everything is running smoothly from an operational and clinical standpoint. Although CIOs wear many hats today, they were recently known more as "behind the scenes" operators in the tech space, being tasked with handling the operational side of things. Now they have a seat at the boardroom table and drive important initiatives for the business—both operationally and clinically. Modern health-care CIOs typically have their head on a swivel, keeping up with technological innovation, staying compliant with changing health-care regulations and staying aware of the newest security threats, such as ransomware. Combine this situation with the rapid rise in cloud adoption, criti- cal considerations for security and compliance, and the fact that IT now plays an integral role in driving rev- enue, and you'll quickly realize that a multitude of pressing challenges weigh on health-care CIOs and their staffs. What are some of the biggest health-care IT pain points organiza- tions face today? sTrained resources Doing more with less is an ongoing challenge for healthcare professionals. Digitalization is tak- ing over, and the changing business models of hospitals and health-care organizations are exacerbating a chronic problem with under- staffed—and oen underfunded—IT organizations. To help combat this problem, CIOs are overseeing grow- ing IT departments and pushing to create new roles to accommodate their evolving needs, particularly in the case of midsize IT businesses. In addition, organizations should consider using outside specialists to manage infrastructure to deal with this resource strain. Doing so allows their personnel to focus on the core business and major projects without risking the security and availability of critical systems. securiTy With the explosion of the IoT—driven by a massive increase in high-speed wireless devices— health-care organizations are more vulnerable than ever. Because they have more end points and ubiquitous connectivity, the attack surface of modern health-care organizations is tremendous. is situation has fu- eled a rising tide of ransomware and other security threats brought on by a distributed, remote and always-on workforce. ese threats are creating the need to balance activity versus reactivity while deploying limited or- ganizational resources to meet orga- nizational needs. Expanding network connectivity, a fast-growing volume of transactions and the increasing number of end points all exacerbate the security-threat landscape. As evolving attack methods drive new waves of breaches that con-