(Part II in a multi-part post examining IAM in healthcare)
Healthcares rapid transition to a fully digital environment has benefitted from the introduction of sophisticated IT tools to the hospital ecosystem and bedside workflows, which have greatly helped improve the delivery of care. In the course of improving care delivery, however, healthcare also experienced something else: greater complexity.
(Gus Malezis, President and Chief Executive Officer, Imprivata)
Todays modern healthcare delivery ecosystem consists of a much more extensive and expansive population of providers and users, all of whom are operating from multiple locations. Often times, these locations are outside the four walls of the hospital, and furthermore the users access systems through an exploding number of devices and an ever-increasing complement of applications that reside on-prem and progressively in the cloud.
In this post, we will look at the four planes of the modern healthcare ecosystem to get an appreciation for the ways that improving care delivery is creating more complexity across the industry and the pivotal role that digital identity and IAM will play in this environment.
The Four Planes
Healthcare delivery now happens around the clock, with a diverse set of healthcare professionals, each of whom is regularly using all kinds of connected and different devices. By taking the IT tools we have and adjusting them to the dimensions of these rapidly evolving planes, we can continue supporting them and enabling improved care in the healthcare continuum.
Plane I Who are the users?
Now and into the future, the professionals accessing healthcare systems are multiplying exponentially. Instead of just doctors and nurses as was the case in the recent past we now have affiliates, administrative staff, and other external users. This easily doubles, and even triples, the number of people we consider to be users or, more importantly, healthcare providers; its now anybody who is in association with your healthcare ecosystem.
Plane II Where are they operating?
The physical locus of healthcare delivery is no longer only a hospital. It can be a clinic, a doctors office, or a home-care situation. Todays healthcare providers are no longer just operating in a single location at the hospital or acute-care environment theyre everywhere.
Plane III What devices are they using to access the digital networks?
It used to be that providers would access a system through a computer, usually a Windows system, located at a nursing station but thats no longer the case. Now, machines are in a patients room, or are portable and in the hands of the providers as they make their patient rounds. These machines may be corporate devices, or they could be personal. Some can be also be virtual machines, Android or iOS Smartphones and tablets, or medical devices. Healthcare is experiencing an explosion of connected digital devices, taking us from 1X to numbers that are 4X or even 10X (especially if you include medical devices) in terms of access points.
Plane IV What are the apps and services they use to deliver healthcare?
Providers are no longer limited to a constrained complement of apps, to the EHR, imaging, scheduling and communications. Now we are seeing many more apps become available to the providers and that includes HR, payroll and office automation apps. These apps run the spectrum of classical fat-client apps, virtual apps, SaaS and cloud apps, along with mobile apps. Here again the population of offerings continue to explode in volume.
IAM considerations in healthcare
This proliferation ofEVERYTHINGhas eroded the once well-defined network perimeter and the systems and services delivered within that environment. In this new ecosystem, organizations must architect and build for this scale and establish trusted identities across a complex network of people, technology, and information.
With a focus on trusted digital identity, organizations can optimize processes and technologies to solve the equally critical aspects of (a) workflow, (b) security, and (c) compliance challenges. They can give users secure access to the applications, devices, and information they need, anywhere and anytime they need it.
Healthcare has unique considerations and challenges that directly impact IAM purchasing, deployment, and management decisions. And theyre not limited to the entities (users, devices, applications) that must be addressed by an effective IAM program. Clinical workflows are also complicated by the industrys complex ecosystem.
Regulatory concerns pose another unique challenge for the industry. Healthcare is a heavily regulated industry, and the information thats shared is highly sensitive. This requires compliance with unique and specific regulatory requirements, from HIPAA to DEA requirements for electronic prescribing of controlled substances (EPCS).
Addressing the challenges
So, how do we overcome these challenges to give users secure access to the applications, devices, and information they need, anywhere and anytime they need it? This is where a solid identity and access management (IAM) strategy comes into place.
First, IT teams need to grant the right users the right level of access into the right systems. With the right identity management technology in place, healthcare organizations can automate the process of quickly provisioning, updating, and deactivating user access. This has to be accomplished with automation and fast repeatable and consistent process.
Next, give users the anytime, anywhere access they need from any device by eliminating the overreliance on usernames and passwords. Single sign-on (SSO), for example, allows users to access their devices, any devices. This is the case whether its the shared nursing station desktop, the VDI/thin/zero end-point, their dedicated windows desktop/laptop, or the shared smartphone or tablet. Moreover, its all with the simple, well understood and ubiquitous badge tap, and in that same process, they can automatically and appropriately access their applications, be it on-prem, or cloud apps.
To get the security and compliance part right, especially when elevated levels of trust are required or mandated, the next step is layering on an effective and efficient multifactor authentication system. Pick the combination of authentication methods thats right for your organization. The combination of two or more factors including a push token, fingerprint biometrics, or hands-free authentication, amongst others, makes security transparent so it doesnt interrupt clinical workflow. Hands-free authentication with invisible/transparent 2nd factor is a particularly usable innovation, as the technology fades to the background, becoming invisible, enabling the provider to focus on whats important the patient and enhancing productivity.
As an industry, healthcare has traditionally focused on locking down everything within our networks. In the new digital world, its time to take the same precautions with the new non-perimeter and the broader set of variables all of which should support the well trusted clinical workflow and enhance care delivery. Protecting against new cyber security risks requires having the right technology in place, starting with an integrated IAM solution. This is the first step for healthcare organizations to strike the necessary, but often elusive, balance between security and clinical workflow efficiency across the evolving healthcare technology landscape.
Digital identity and IAM now play even a more pivotal role. We need trusted identities. We also need the right infrastructure to support and manage those identities something we will examine in our next post in this series.
Check back in November for the final installment of this series, and for more information, browse the infographic.
Gus Malezis is President and Chief Executive Officer of Imprivata.
Read the original:
- Green with Envy | How to Spot an Eco-Snob | Part III - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- EcoLogo - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- 5 Ways to Green Your Exercise Routine - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- Seed Bombs - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- Guerrilla gardening - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- Green Your Morning Routine - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- Environmental Benefits of Telecommuting - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- Safeway Sponsors Portland Community Cleanup - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- Electric Vehicle Race - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- Portland Bridge Pedal 2009 - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- E-waste in Oregon - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- Bike Sharing in Portland - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- Bucks for the Bay Challenge - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- Drive to Make a Difference with MyMPG - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- Bathroom Sprayers - Green your Toilet Routine - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- Ubuntu OS can Save Energy - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- Green Metropolis, David Owen - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- Sustainable Pens: GLO Pens - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- International Day of Climate Action - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- Donate to Oregon Toxics Alliance - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- Biomass Energy Generation Myths - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- Crude The Real Price of Oil | Playing in Portland - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- Pictures From 350 Climate Day in Portland - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- Arcimoto Electric Vehicles in Oregon - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- Urban Rooftop Wind Turbines - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- Chromium 6 Emissions from ESCO in Portland - December 13th, 2009 [December 13th, 2009]
- Food Inc. Review - December 19th, 2009 [December 19th, 2009]
- Making Maps with Google Earth and Google Maps by Shane Bradt of the University of New Hampshire Cooperative Extension - March 23rd, 2010 [March 23rd, 2010]
- Demonstration of Miradi 3.1 by Nick Salafsky of Foundations of Success - March 23rd, 2010 [March 23rd, 2010]
- Advanced Mashups – KML and the Mapping API by Cary Chadwick of the University of Connecticut Center for Land Use Education and Research - March 23rd, 2010 [March 23rd, 2010]
- Demonstration of InVEST by Heather Tallis of the Natural Capital Project - March 23rd, 2010 [March 23rd, 2010]
- GIS Maps Online by Emily Wilson of the University of Connecticut Center for Land Use Education and Research - March 23rd, 2010 [March 23rd, 2010]
- From ArcGIS to Web Maps: Simple Techniques for Publishing GIS Maps Online by Emily Wilson of the University of Connecticut Center for Land Use Education and Research - March 25th, 2010 [March 25th, 2010]
- Demonstration of Marine InVEST by Anne Guerry of the Natural Capital Project - March 31st, 2010 [March 31st, 2010]
- Eliminate and Decrease Styrofoam - March 31st, 2010 [March 31st, 2010]
- Portland Plans to Spend $600 million on Master Bike Plan - April 2nd, 2010 [April 2nd, 2010]
- (Webinar in Spanish) Demostración sobre Vista 2.5 de NatureServe en línea (Webinar) por Ian Varley, Carmen Josse, y Alexandra Sanchez de Lozada de NatureServe. - April 6th, 2010 [April 6th, 2010]
- Using and Adding Your Content to Google Ocean by Charlotte Vick, Google Content Manager of Mission Blue - April 13th, 2010 [April 13th, 2010]
- End Paper Receipts - May 1st, 2010 [May 1st, 2010]
- Demonstration of CanVis by Chris Haynes of NOAA Coastal Services Center - May 6th, 2010 [May 6th, 2010]
- Demonstration of HD.gov Web Portal by Jeff Adkins from NOAA Coastal Services Center - May 13th, 2010 [May 13th, 2010]
- Demonstration of Ecosystem Assessment and Reporting Tool by Steve Schill of The Nature Conservancy - May 13th, 2010 [May 13th, 2010]
- Demonstration of Version 2.0 of the Multipurpose Marine Cadastre by Adam Bode and Brian Smith of NOAA Coastal Services Center - May 17th, 2010 [May 17th, 2010]
- CRUDE Filmmakers Subpoenaed by Chevron - May 22nd, 2010 [May 22nd, 2010]
- Demonstration of the Digital Coast Coastal Inundation Toolkit by Steph Beard, Jodie Sprayberry and Billy Brooks of NOAA Coastal Services Center - May 25th, 2010 [May 25th, 2010]
- Presentation on the Creating Resilient Communities EBM Tool Demonstration Project by Jocelyn Hittle of PlaceMatters - June 10th, 2010 [June 10th, 2010]
- Presentation on Economic Data Needed for EBM by Linwood Pendleton of Duke University - October 11th, 2010 [October 11th, 2010]
- Recycling Water - October 16th, 2010 [October 16th, 2010]
- ODOT Partners with Oregon Toxics Alliance to Reduce Pesticides - October 17th, 2010 [October 17th, 2010]
- Goats Hired to Mow Portland Lot - October 17th, 2010 [October 17th, 2010]
- A World of Health: Connecting People, Place, and Planet - October 17th, 2010 [October 17th, 2010]
- Alternative Recycling Options - October 17th, 2010 [October 17th, 2010]
- No More Bullying the Bull Trout - October 17th, 2010 [October 17th, 2010]
- 1000+ EV Charging Stations Slated for Oregon I-5 Corridor - October 17th, 2010 [October 17th, 2010]
- The Vertical Farm Concept - October 17th, 2010 [October 17th, 2010]
- Blog Action Day 2010 | Water - October 17th, 2010 [October 17th, 2010]
- Eco Districts - October 24th, 2010 [October 24th, 2010]
- Will The Nissan Leaf Thrive? - October 24th, 2010 [October 24th, 2010]
- A Green Railroad - October 24th, 2010 [October 24th, 2010]
- Biomass is not Oregon's clean-energy future as currently promoted - October 24th, 2010 [October 24th, 2010]
- Electrified Parking Spaces - October 24th, 2010 [October 24th, 2010]
- Tree Planting - October 24th, 2010 [October 24th, 2010]
- Three Tips to Reduce Your Carbon Footprint and Live Longer. - October 24th, 2010 [October 24th, 2010]
- Biomass is not Oregon’s clean-energy future as currently promoted - October 31st, 2010 [October 31st, 2010]
- Rail~Volution - October 31st, 2010 [October 31st, 2010]
- Green Streets Initiative - October 31st, 2010 [October 31st, 2010]
- Mayor Kitty Piercy and Envision Eugene - November 7th, 2010 [November 7th, 2010]
- The Willamette River Transit Bridge - November 13th, 2010 [November 13th, 2010]
- Collaborative Learning and Land Use Tools to Support Community Based Ecosystem Management by Chris Feurt of the Wells National Estuarine Research Reserve - November 14th, 2010 [November 14th, 2010]
- Portland Federal Building Begins Green Makeover - November 14th, 2010 [November 14th, 2010]
- Vestas’ New HQ in Portland Shoots for LEED Platinum - November 14th, 2010 [November 14th, 2010]
- College Degrees to Get You in the Environmental Field - November 14th, 2010 [November 14th, 2010]
- Demonstration of openNSPECT, an Open Source Version of the Nonpoint-Source Pollution and Erosion Comparison Tool by Dave Eslinger of NOAA Coastal Services Center - February 14th, 2011 [February 14th, 2011]
- Demonstration of EMDS by Keith Reynolds of the US Forest Service - February 14th, 2011 [February 14th, 2011]
- Demonstration of Habitat Priority Planner by Chrissa Waite and Danielle Bamford of NOAA Coastal Services Center - February 14th, 2011 [February 14th, 2011]
- Presentation on the Coastal Adaptation to Sea Level Rise Tool (COAST) by Sam Merrill of the New England Environmental Finance Center - February 14th, 2011 [February 14th, 2011]
- Presentation on the Coastal and Marine Ecological Classification Standard by Kathy Goodin of NatureServe - February 14th, 2011 [February 14th, 2011]
- Demonstration of Coral Reef Scenario Evaluation Tool (CORSET) by Jessica Melbourne-Thomas of the University of Tasmania - February 14th, 2011 [February 14th, 2011]
- Demonstration of Multi-scale Integrated Models of Ecosystem Services (MIMES) by Roel Boumans and David McNally of AFORDable Futures LLC - February 14th, 2011 [February 14th, 2011]
- Creating Life in the Desert - February 14th, 2011 [February 14th, 2011]