Top HIT Trends For 2014: Accelerated Change Is Coming

Healthcare IT News recently published a series of articles looking back at the incredible progress HIT has made over the last decade. The last nine quarters in particular, starting not surprisingly when Meaningful Use checks got posted for EMR implementation, have seen remarkable accelerated change. With this momentum, it is no doubt that the next four quarters will be fraught with further IT transformation.

Implementing, institutionalizing and fully leveraging the EMR is a massive undertaking, and with it comes a host of other implications, five of which will drive the following major trends in 2014.

Security: Customer Data Services and IT Risk and Compliance companies alike predict that 2014 will be a year of headaches when it comes to data breaches for healthcare players. Experian notes that 46% of all breaches their data resolution department serviced in 2013 were healthcare related and that is expected to rise. Coalfire, an IT risk and compliance company, predicted that healthcare IT breaches will be a top 5 security theme worry across all industries. The proliferation of digitized PHI, lack of comprehensive risk mitigation strategies, recent omnibus rulings and increased audits all combine to create a hotbed for breaches in 2014. As a result, focus will not only be on compliance but on IT risk management and process, including auditing and working with vendors to design and outline end to end security standards, expectations and responsibilities.