Blog Ready, Set, Accelerate Your Hybrid Healthcare
By Rhett Livengood / 17 May 2022 / Topics: Cybersecurity Collaboration Devices
The broad adoption of telehealth services and remote work are transforming healthcare. Here’s how healthcare leaders can ready, set and accelerate sustainable hybrid care with the support of the latest technology and solutions.
Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, healthcare organizations have made heroic pivots to rapidly deploy remote care, and the demand is here to stay. A survey from Boston Consulting Group showed that 60% of patients indicate preference for receiving home care (telehealth services). Healthcare organizations need to ensure their readiness and continue expansion of telehealth services as demand grows.
Another large challenge facing healthcare organizations is workforce burnout. Employee shortages across the country create barriers to providing high-quality care. One way of recruiting and retaining valuable employees is to offer hybrid and remote working options where feasible. Doing so expands the network of service providers available to serve your patients and allows staff productive time to focus outside the office.
When it comes to healthcare, some employee roles are better suited for hybrid or remote work. These roles could include: office management, claims, medical records management, community relations, marketing, call center, HR, IT and compliance.
As you consider ways to maximize employee satisfaction, productivity and patient care, also keep in mind to prioritize helping remote or hybrid workers continue to feel supported and included in the workplace.
A sustainable, secure hybrid model
Organizations can boost employees’ comfort in their work environments with the right equipment, technology and trainings. Desk chairs, microphones and lighting can enhance the hybrid work experience. Consider high-powered devices with flexible form factors that are easy to carry from one location to another.
Educate for hybrid work security.
Workforce security training supports your efforts to maintain a healthy network. Teaching employees how to identify malicious emails or websites will help protect your important systems from potential cybersecurity attacks.
Employees must also understand the security risks of working from other locations. They should be aware of risks such as Wi-Fi vulnerabilities and using cloud apps without the proper security tools turned on. Cybersecurity awareness training is a great way to bring attention to the security knowledge employees need when working remotely.
Healthcare data is very sensitive, so having strong security processes in place is vital. When employees run a variety of software applications, it’s necessary to update them regularly to maintain security. That’s why Intel created a security foundation within the hardware and software of our devices. Our design makes it easier for IT to keep team members’ PCs up and running, healthy, and updated with the latest security patches and firmware.
Healthcare leaders can also rely on the support of a partner like Insight for device updates and security management to ensure their hybrid workforce operates as productively and securely as possible.
Set your team up for hybrid work success.
Providing a quality experience goes beyond providing employees access to the right technology and tools. It’s also about how employees feel about their work experience — are they being included?
Here are some ways leaders can help employees feel more included while miles apart:
- Engage everyone in virtual meetings by directing questions to quieter participants.
- Understand any barriers to employee participation, such as slower Wi-Fi connections.
- Invest in collaboration tools, such as participation monitoring software, video conferencing tools and computer drawing programs.
A successful team has the right tools for the job. Support your team’s productivity with powerful, efficient devices.
Intel provides many devices and laptops for hybrid working that are designed with two personas in mind:
- The end user: The end user should be as satisfied using their business device as they are using their consumer devices. This means devices need to operate quickly and maintain a high level of connectivity to business applications and meetings.
- The IT department: The devices need to be secure and easy to update. Maintain manageability and oversight is also very important.
Intel’s vPro platform is a great option for healthcare organizations. It operates in a managed environment to keep updates consistent and your organization protected — two things your IT team will appreciate.
And, hybrid workers like the speed and lasting battery power the vPro provides. It’s a flexible solution for people on the go, delivering a stable wireless experience.
The right tools: Visit the Intel Mobility Store to see the latest devices available to help your hybrid team operate at peak performance.
Wi-Fi reliability is key for hybrid work.
When working remotely, Wi-Fi access and connectivity are critical. Designed to connect to Wi-Fi 6 and Wi-Fi 6 extended networks, Intel devices ensure smooth performance.
During meetings and patient virtual appointments, employees need a strong, consistent Wi-Fi connection for clear communication, especially during patient conversations regarding course of treatment or medication dosages.
And, Wi-Fi continues to evolve. Insight is currently partnering with Intel and Microsoft to roll out software that will automatically prioritize the highest, most important connection in transfer of data. This means downloads and uploads will run more quickly, and internet traffic will travel the fastest path possible. Upgrades like this will make hybrid and remote work run even more smoothly in the future.
In the market for a new PC? Try out an Intel Battle-Pack. Battle-Packs allow you to try out a new system in your environment before you buy. Test it in the office or remotely to ensure the best fit for your hybrid team.
Accelerate your journey to better care.
We all know that change happens at lightning speed these days, so it’s important to prepare proactively for the future. That’s why Intel has teamed up with Insight and Microsoft to continue building solutions for the future of healthcare.
We’ve broken these solutions into four different areas of focus:
- Security: As cyberattacks continuing to threaten the business world, we’ve worked closely with Microsoft and Insight to create a suite of technologies that protect the full compute stack. This includes not only software-based security, but also security embedded into hardware.
- Stability: We want to provide easy access to PC replacements and swap-outs. New devices must be current on the latest hardware and software, including all updates.
- Manageability: With the release of Windows 11 and the continued addition of the Internet of Things (IoT) and embedded systems, we’ll work closely with clients to ensure continued manageability and security.
- Performance: At Intel, we’re excited about a new architecture coming out that’s equipped a combination of performance cores and efficient cores. You need devices that empower productivity, so these updates will support the performance of high-volume applications and extend battery life.
Remote and hybrid care models are here to stay.
As you strive to foster an enjoyable, efficient hybrid work environment in your healthcare organization, Insight, Intel and Microsoft are here to help with emerging resources that support your ongoing evolution.
Be ambitious about your quality of care.
Insight and Intel are here to help.
About Rhett Livengood
Rhett Livengood
Director, Digital Business Enabling at Intel
Rhett has a passion for building partner business development teams in an emerging digital economy. He’s a proven leader, having founded three businesses and managed hundreds of employees across marketing, sales and operational teams. He has worked to launch 22 new products over the past 10 years, generating billions of dollars of revenue and enhancing customer relationships.
