HIT List | Mobile security and more

Summer may be unofficially winding down post-Labor Day, but the healthcare technology world continues to ramp up its efforts to tackle challenges new and old. This week, our HIT list zeroes in on vexing issues including beefing up mobile security, capitalizing on meaningful use to reduce care disparity, and conquering physician resistance to documenting and communicating electronically.

PINs make poor passcodes. Although four-digit PINs are the most popular passcodes — assuming one is used at all — for securing mobile devices, they are among the least effective. In fact, hackers can usually get into smartphones in 10 tries or less, posing big problems for healthcare organizations worried about data breach. This expert recommends combining complex passcodes with mobile device management policies for better protection. See what other mobile security strategies are expected to gather steam.
Down for the count. Clinicians were unable to access patient information for a full day when the EHR system at Sutter Health in northern California crashed last week. Nurses claimed the blackout endangered patients and proved technology was unreliable for delivering care. Hospital officials claimed they addressed the issue promptly and said the nurses misrepresented the situation because of a labor dispute. Bottom line concern: How good are your backup and disaster recovery solutions?
Easing data capture headaches. Physicians love getting patient data out of EMRs, but they hate entering it into the system. New apps for iPads aim to take the pain out of electronic data capture by using templates and enabling direct photo capture from the tablet’s camera. And of course, being able to enter data into the tablet right at the point of care rather than writing it down and entering it into a PC later saves valuable time. How are you meeting the data capture challenge?
Cloud computing soars sky-high. Healthcare’s adoption of cloud-based applications and services is climbing faster than predicted. A new survey shows 30% of respondents now use cloud computing, up from 9% a year ago. Desktop virtualization has also continued to rise and is incorporating an expanding variety of endpoints including thin and zero clients, tablets and smartphones. Where does the cloud fit in your future?
e-communication efficient and effective. Electronic communication improves patient satisfaction and saves time for patients, a recent study reports. However, physicians remain reluctant to embrace it because it’s time-consuming and essentially uncompensated. But a team-based care model and new payment methods could make all the difference in adoption, researchers say. What’s your practice’s attitude toward emailing patients?
Battling the bad guys. The new Medical Identity Fraud Alliance seeks to drive development of best practices and technologies and promote regulatory change to combat medical identity theft. The six initial member organizations invite other stakeholders to join them in fighting the problem through comprehensive research, collaboration and information sharing. Take a closer look at the issues they think require immediate attention.
Curtail care disparities. A coalition of consumer, patient and labor organizations has published an action plan to make disparities of care a critical focus of Stage 3 meaningful use. The Consumer Partnership for eHealth makes the case that more rigorous data collection can lead to better identification and understanding of health disparities, helping improve outcomes and cut costs. Check out their recommendations.

What mobile security strategies are you employing to protect against data breaches? MDM solutions? Separate passcodes to access devices and apps?

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