Implementing New Technology in Healthcare: Challenges and Best Practices

Introducing new technology to a healthcare setting comes with unique challenges. However, there are solutions for each of these problems as well.

Humanity's ability to master its environment and implement new tools has been central to our progress as a species. We lack fur coats, so we master fire and wear clothing. We can't run very fast, so we tame horses and later invented carriages, cars, and aircraft. We can't stop ourselves from bleeding very quickly or reset our bones, so we invent bandages and splints.

Thus, embracing new technology is the key to delivering a better healthcare experience. Technology opens new treatment options and makes existing methods faster, more efficient, and more accessible. However, the challenges of implementing any new technique or equipment, especially on the scale healthcare groups operate, mean you need to have a strong plan and reliable partners to count on.

The Need for Implementing New Technology in Healthcare

The healthcare industry is at an important stage right now. We have more seniors than ever around the world requiring more treatment while also facing rising rates of chronic conditions like obesity and heart disease. However, we're also seeing unsustainable rates of burnout in healthcare staff as providers are asked to do far too much with far too little.

Multiple new technology trends, such as generative AI, telemedicine, and robotics, are converging to help answer these issues. AI and machine learning, for instance, can be used as assistants to help providers diagnose their patients' conditions or fill out paperwork on their behalf. Telemedicine gives patients and providers new ways to communicate and access care without having to travel to a hospital or clinic.

That said, integrating these technologies poses certain challenges.

Common Issues with Implementing New Technology In Healthcare

No change comes without cost or challenges to overcome. That goes for healthcare just as much as it does any other industry. The most common issues for implementing new technology in healthcare include:

Cost: New technology can be expensive to purchase and integrate into a hospital’s operations, especially if it requires replacing other related devices.

Training Requirements: Most healthcare providers have limited time to support the training required for new technology or devices.

Provider Reluctance: As with any skilled professional, healthcare providers are often set in their ways and don’t like being told they need to change their operations.

However, every challenge has its solutions.

Cost-Saving Measures: New technology can be more efficient and save money in the long term, reducing overall costs. Using devices with backward compatibility, such as medical computers with legacy ports, can reduce costs incurred by replacing other devices.

Intuitive Design: Intuitive designs and user interfaces are critical for making new technology easy to use and reducing training requirements.

Reduced Workload: The quickest way to get healthcare providers to agree to any new technology is to emphasize that it will reduce their workload, not add to it.

How To Implement New Technology in Healthcare

Obviously, implementing new technology in healthcare settings is more involved than a consumer-level purchase. It's a process that requires collaboration across multiple skill sets from teams of professionals and must meet the requirements of multiple levels of regulation. The following steps are designed to help and guide you when implementing a new tool or process.

Assess Your Needs

As a first step, you need to assess your requirements, the problem or challenge that you want to overcome, and the possible solutions for your issue.

A common mistake when upgrading to new devices or tools is to fixate on the newest, shiniest piece of technology without seriously considering how and where you will integrate it into preexisting structures or processes. This can lead to issues in compatibility and regulation, where your new tool can’t communicate with other devices in your network or lacks the necessary cybersecurity features to meet regulations like HIPAA.

When assessing your needs, consult with multiple stakeholders, including the providers who will be using the new tech, the IT professionals who will help keep it running, and even patients who may interact with it. They can accurately tell you if the technology meets their needs or has flaws that need to be addressed. You will also need to review the technical specifications and communicate with the manufacturer to ensure your potential purchase meets the necessary safety and security requirements.

Planning & Strategy

Once you've reviewed your requirements and confirmed your options, you need to build an efficient plan for implementing the new technology. The key components of a good plan include:

Budgeting: Obviously, you need to make sure you can afford your new equipment! However, this category also includes additional costs outside the purchase, such as training, setup, and any extra expenses you incur (e.g., consultant fees, cost overruns, etc.).

Staffing: If this new technology involves significantly expanding your operations, you may also need to grow your workforce. After all, there’s no point in acquiring new digital tools if you don’t have enough people to use them. Training is also a major concern; you need to give your employees time to use the new technology and get familiar with it to ensure they can fully take advantage of their new equipment.

Timelines: Purchasing and deploying a new piece of equipment, along with training staff to use it, is a significant project that can easily span months. It’s critical to ensure that your project's implementation of new technology is scheduled and doesn’t overlap with your organization's other major projects.

Scalability: It’s one thing to know that your new technology can work here and now, but healthcare operations are constantly adjusting in the face of population shifts, demographic changes, and more. Can your healthcare automation tools support a thousand healthcare providers as effectively as they can support a hundred? Ensuring the scalability of your tools is an excellent way to future-proof your operations.

Best Practices for Successful Implementation

No two projects will be the same, but certain best practices are nigh universal in their utility:

Establish a pilot program: Having a test run for a new tool or technology is the perfect way to see how it can benefit your operations. It allows you to identify potential pain points during large-scale adoption and prepare appropriate solutions.

Engage and communicate with stakeholders: Keeping providers, IT staff, and other stakeholders in the loop is critical to understanding how your strategy is working. They are the first to tell you if something is wrong with your new technology and often the first to offer a solution.

Support and train your staff every step of the way: Don’t expect your staff to immediately grasp and embrace a tool right away. Make sure they have access to the appropriate training material and work with trusted consultants who have helped other healthcare groups embrace new tech.

Evaluate the technology’s impact and adjust as needed: Once you’ve deployed your new devices or tools, monitor how they change your group’s operations and the impact they make. If your newly implemented tools aren’t meeting your expectations, talk to your staff and stakeholders to determine why so you can adjust your plans or deployment as necessary.

Upgrade Your Operations with Cybernet’s Help

The healthcare sector is ever-evolving, so healthcare groups must evolve with it. By embracing new technology and implementing it efficiently, providers can continue to deliver the best treatment possible to their patients.

If you’re looking to upgrade your healthcare practice with new medical-grade computers or tablets, contact the experts at Cybernet Manufacturing. Our experience as an original equipment manufacturer (OEM) means we can assist you throughout the implementation process and even customize our products to your precise needs.