Challenges & Solutions in Information Technology Research for Healthcare

Executive Summary

Information Technology (IT) has significantly contributed to enhancing healthcare delivery, improving quality of life, and has the potential to revolutionize cost-effective delivery of personalized healthcare. However, there are numerous IT research challenges in healthcare that need to be addressed. This whitepaper explores these challenges and the opportunities they present, with a particular emphasis on transformative changes and new directions in the clinical sciences. It also brings into focus the importance of leveraging the growing avalanche of data relevant to healthcare to inform multiple stakeholders including doctors, provider teams, patients, caregivers, and payers.

Technical Background

In the healthcare industry, IT has only scratched the surface of possibilities for its potential influence on the quality and cost-effectiveness of healthcare. New computing and behavioral research can lead to transformative changes. Besides, basic IT research can provide the foundations for new directions in the clinical sciences via tools and analyses that identify subtle but significant causal signals. These signals can be found in the fusion of clinical, behavioral, environmental, genetic, and epigenetic data.

System Architecture

Exploring the system architecture of IT in healthcare, there are numerous opportunities for improving healthcare processes. These opportunities can be availed by leveraging the growing avalanche of data with relevance to healthcare. Data about wellness, illness, and healthcare delivery, the increasing feasibility of personal data, and the growing availability of relevant contextual data can collectively better inform multiple healthcare stakeholders.

Implementation Details

Moving forward with the implementation of IT in healthcare involves the adoption of evidence-based healthcare practices. The National Academies’ Report highlights this need and proposes numerous opportunities for improving healthcare processes. This can be achieved by using Computational Technology effectively. For example, the availability of 24×7 activity and physiology traces, indoor and outdoor air quality, exposures to toxins can provide a wealth of data that can be used to inform healthcare decision-making.

Performance Analysis

Performance analysis of IT implementation in healthcare reveals that there are several opportunities to strengthen the uses of IT that are already underway in healthcare and in other domains. The analysis points towards the need for more research to address the challenges and realize the potential of IT in healthcare.

Security Considerations

Data security and privacy are crucial factors in the implementation of IT in healthcare. Ensuring the confidentiality of patient data while allowing for its accessibility and usability is a significant challenge. It requires robust measures to ensure security while allowing for effective implementation of technology.

Troubleshooting

Like any other sector, IT in healthcare also comes with its own set of problems and challenges. Troubleshooting these issues requires a comprehensive understanding of both the healthcare and IT domains. Effective troubleshooting can lead to optimal utilization of IT in healthcare.

Conclusion

While IT presents numerous opportunities for the healthcare sector, it is necessary to address the challenges it poses to realize its full potential. This whitepaper presents an overview of these challenges and the ways to address them. The future of healthcare lies in leveraging the potential of IT for improving healthcare delivery, enhancing the quality of life, and making healthcare cost-effective.