Key issues for healthcare professionals

Consumer-centered, digitally intelligent healthcare will be a major focus in the upcoming year. It’s shaping up to be a groundbreaking year for the marriage between healthcare and technology.

Here’s what to keep in mind about that issue and others facing health professionals this year.

• Mobile apps and monitoring devices: Consumers are becoming more comfortable with digital devices that enable better health monitoring.
• Privacy matters: More than 70 percent of consumers think data security is more important than convenience.
• Heightened transparency: The majority of consumers say they would have concerns if their doctor took payments from pharmaceutical companies.
• More is more: States are beginning to lead the way in allowing nurses, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants to manage patient outcomes.
• The millennial impact: With 80 million millennials becoming active participants in a new health economy, what they want matters.

As the digital revolution takes hold, how will healthcare fare? The fact is, companies able to bridge the digital divide will be better positioned to respond to the healthcare needs of the future.