Arap Kanda: Healthcare & Systems

ICT is a tool to better productivity, give insights and save resources. How this is used by organization goes down to having a team that can envision the use of the system now and its sustainability.

The first task is to have a good scope for what the system will do and envision what the system might do in future then provide for an API. An API in lay man language is basically something like a USB port inside the system where you can extend functions for the future. This functions could be something like extend different types of payments i.e VISA, Mastercard etc. The world has evolved and we now have standard APIs (REST, SOAP) that are recognized by most programming languages, but before this becomes a lecture in systems, lets focus on Health Care systems.

The Natural Death of Technology

I work in the healthcare industry and I have interacted with its systems. My views might be limited to my experience or inspired my thoughts on how this can be handled differently. I personally think that the organizations that will envision what technology will become and use it while the technology’s growth path is still steep on the chart will have a big advantage over its peers. Referring to below diagram, it will be a risk for any healthcare because of how sensitive the data is to embark on the curve while the growth is still in it embryonic stage. Take technology as a human being, you invest on it while its on its prime and youth and it will give more returns. Some technologies that now long dead are Walkmans, CRT Televisions, Floppy disks and those that are its prime are the smart phones. Flatly some technologies will fail.

Nokia heavily invested on its Symbian OS and a few years after its release, a free Linux based operating system came on board. The name is android. Those companies that would hardly rival Nokia a decade before in the phone market like LG made a killing by taking the risk of Android at its embryonic stage. However, for medical systems it would be safer to let the growth path get slightly positive and steeper. ICT companies on the other hand will need to focus on having R&D departments in order to pick the right technology whose curve will yield good returns. How does a healthcare provider embark on the good growth curve and enjoy the yields? It boils down to setting up a good system.

Keys to successful Healthcare ICT systems

1. Data Driven systems

Health systems have a unique characteristic; the Data is king, Data on patients, their health records, the demographics. The data is King in the chess board, the application running its functions are pawns that can change at a planned time, however the data is cannot be changed. Healthcare providers who handle their patient data well, will give better treatment, give better services.

Applications are built round the data and it will cost less if the design is designed around the data instead of tying the data to applications. The scope of developing the system should be drawn from how the data will be handled.

Data driven systems will enable something I think will be big for healthcare providers that is Big Data Analytics. Big data analytics can give predictive insights such as disease patterns, disease patterns for a certain area, patient habits. This is a big topic for another day.

2. Single ERP

All functions of the healthcare provider should be tied to one system. I couldn’t even emphasize more on that. One systems for all. The same system that handles patients, should handle finances, procuring, stocks, employees. Or at the least have capability to extend to such functions and still operate the same ecosystem. This system should be tied one single source for authentication and permissions.

There is a big problem in having operating many systems, from resources, to cost, to system security. Having one system means you will a lean team to manage it, a cheaper supplier to support it. Many systems also create loop holes that can be exploited by users with malicious intentions.

3. Use a Standard Language

Have one system written in one standard language, and a language that is always evolving. I.e. Java, C#, Python and enterprise databases such as Oracle, MSSQL. Languages that have proven to evolve into better robust, reliable languages. There is a danger in using scripting languages such as Php or other web based scripting languages.

A lot of languages are moving to having reusable code, for multiple platforms such that you write code once and for all devices e.g. web, desktop applications, phone applications (IOS, Android). My advice is be cautious about using certain scripting languages now, at this moment we might be witnessing the beginning of the end of growth curves for certain languages such as Php as it happened to Pascal, Fortran etc. If someone offers to implement a system using scripting languages, BE CAUTIOUS. It might be good now, but what of the future? It’s more costly to replace systems than grow them.

4. Documentation

The most boring work for most ICT organizations is to do documentation both in the code through comments and system documentation. System documentation is important because it ensures smooth continuity and support.

Documentation also lays out the responsibility of the developing company. Ambiguity means more costs since companies can charge for services that they were supposed to offer in the first place.

Documentation also ensure that patient data which is very sensitive is protected in a well laid out manned and structure. Documentation should also include an SLA, Service Level Agreement because the system is used in real time and any delays causes a lot of setbacks.

5. Cloud your Data

Lastly, this is the resort if anything to limit the biggest risk in healthcare system. Which is data loss. Equipment can get damaged, destroyed but data shouldn’t. Have data, especially patient data backed up in a cloud somewhere. This reduce the biggest risk which is data loss.