The Future of Patient Care: 4 Technology Trends Shaping Public Health

In the dynamic world of healthcare, technological advancements are synonymous with progress and innovation. Yet these advancements also bring new challenges and concerns, especially for healthcare leaders tasked with guiding their organizations towards a secure and efficient future. This post explores the four top technology concerns facing today’s public health leaders and offers strategic insights for navigating the complex digital healthcare landscape.

1. Cybersecurity: Safeguarding Patient & Provider Data in an Era of Growing Threats

An alarming 43% of healthcare data has fallen prey to cyber breaches, revealing critical vulnerabilities in the protection of sensitive patient information.¹ In particular, the cyber-attack on Change Healthcare that occurred earlier this year highlighted the vulnerability of healthcare systems to sophisticated threats. This disruption affected various areas of the business, impacting users ability to pay for critical medications and the revenue streams of many providers. This incident is a stark demonstration of the increasing complexity of cyberattacks, including double-extortion tactics, emphasizing the need for a comprehensive cybersecurity strategy.

Lumen takes a proactive approach to cybersecurity, one that prioritizes threat detection before an incident occurs to stop it at the source, as well as the complexities of modern cyberattacks, such as double extortion tactics. Protecting both patient and provider data has never been more critical, and a robust cybersecurity strategy is essential to navigate the challenges posed by the evolving threat landscape.

2. Transformation and Modernization: Embracing Innovation for Better Healthcare

The healthcare landscape is changing rapidly, with technology and patient expectations driving a shift towards innovative and modernized user experiences. Healthcare leaders recognize the need to transform their infrastructure to address these evolving demands. From artificial intelligence (AI) enablement to cloud adoption, there are endless opportunities to improve patient outcomes and drive operational efficiencies. However, these advancements come with associated challenges, such as the need for more robust governance and skilled talent to ensure that innovation doesn’t cause security and compliance issues.

Lumen addresses these potential complications by taking a strategic approach to digital transformation that seamlessly integrates network innovation with robust security and compliance measures. Lumen helps ensure that cybersecurity is not an afterthought but a foundational element of the transformation process by building security into the solutions we offer.

By providing solutions that encompass connectivity, capacity, compute and security, Lumen can empower healthcare providers to streamline their digital workflows, leverage analytics and respond swiftly to market changes. This approach facilitates a secure and efficient transition into the digital age, addressing agencies’ need for transformation and modernization while prioritizing the security of patients and providers.

3. Employee Experience: Empowering Healthcare Workers in a Digital World

The healthcare industry is facing a critical juncture, with the need for improved employee experience becoming increasingly apparent. The exodus of over half a million healthcare workers in 2023, particularly after the COVID-19 pandemic, has highlighted the urgency of this issue. The pandemic not only caused a significant shift in the workforce but has also accelerated the adoption of technology, leading to a growing expectation for tech-enabled work environments. Early-career workers, who are inherently tech-savvy, are entering the field with the anticipation of leveraging technology in their roles, which has been shown to increase employee engagement and reduce turnover rates.

Lumen Digital is poised to address these industry challenges by enhancing the employee experience through secure hybrid work environments, mobility-enabled work and managed cybersecurity solutions. Providing healthcare workers with the ability to access systems and applications remotely, Lumen Digital fosters collaboration and manages cyber risks effectively. This approach is crucial in attracting and retaining talent, especially in the face of both nursing and skilled security workforce shortages.

Furthermore, because Lumen Digital focuses on technology and data, it caters to the expectations of new-generation workers and can lead to a more engaged workforce. According to Quantum Workplace, companies with engaged employees see a 31% lower turnover rate, and such employees are 12 times more likely to produce positive results for their company. By addressing healthcare industry pain points and empowering healthcare workers through modern technology, Lumen Digital helps ensure that healthcare organizations can navigate the complexities of the digital age while continuing to deliver exceptional care.

4. Customer Experience: Enhancing Patient Care Across the Continuum

In the era of value-based care, patient experience has become a pivotal focus for healthcare organizations, with every interaction from initial contact to ongoing support playing a crucial role. However, the industry faces challenges with siloed care experiences and fragmented data, leading to inconsistencies and inefficiencies in patient care. The need for real-time data access and secure communication is paramount to delivering seamless care experiences, emphasizing the importance of collaboration and interoperability across the healthcare ecosystem.

Lumen addresses these challenges with a holistic approach to healthcare that extends beyond medical treatment to encompass the broader well-being of individuals. With the growth of connected care and medical devices, Lumen understands the importance of securing this burgeoning amount of data, often stored in the cloud and underpinned by network fabric. Secure collaboration, facilitated through innovative Lumen Digital networking, edge cloud, collaboration and security solutions, enables healthcare providers to deliver comprehensive care experiences. These solutions accelerate and protect new and innovative applications, helping to enable secure and seamless communication across devices, locations and users, supporting telehealth and remote work scenarios.

Moreover, the low-latency Lumen network and data at the edge enable real-time access to critical data and insights, helping healthcare providers deliver unified healthcare experiences that encompass the entirety of a patient’s interaction with the healthcare system. Offering guidance and expertise in securing patient and provider data and managing overall risk, Lumen Digital helps healthcare providers enhance patient care across the continuum.

Partnering with Lumen for a Brighter Future

As healthcare leaders grapple with these top technology concerns, Lumen stands ready to partner with them on their journey towards a more secure, efficient and patient-centric future.

With expertise in cybersecurity, digital transformation, collaboration and workforce empowerment, we enable healthcare organizations to navigate the complexities of today’s digital landscape and drive positive outcomes for patients and providers alike. We believe that by addressing these issues head-on and embracing a proactive approach to technology, healthcare organizations can pave the way for a brighter, more resilient future for all. For more insights on modern healthcare IT trends and how Lumen is aiding public health agencies in their daily missions, explore our eBook, A Look at Major Healthcare IT Trends in the Public Sector for 2024.

At Lumen, we’re constantly reimagining the ways in which networking and cybersecurity solutions are delivered. Discover how we help public sector organizations accelerate transformation and enable progress to be ready for what’s next.

¹Lumen, A Look at Major Healthcare IT Trends in the Public Sector, 2024.

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