One of the major trends that can be observed in the healthcare
domain of the United States of America involves the digital
transformation in healthcare that has been prompted by the Covid
19 pandemic (Huettenbach, 2022). The pandemic has given rise to
new kinds of rules and regulations relating to social distancing and
lockdowns. It has increased the reliance on the digital healthcare
concept to bridge the gap between healthcare service providers and
service users. The rising popularity of the digital transformation in
healthcare has the potential to give rise to several implications
relating to the financial management aspects within healthcare
organizations such as hospitals and clinics. Some of the key
implications include:
• The need to invest money to develop the technological
landscape of healthcare organizations. In order to leverage
innovative technology in the digitalized era, it is a necessity for
healthcare entities to establish a robust and well-functional IT
ecosystem that can help to integrate technology into healthcare
processes.
• Another vital implication that can be observed relating to
financial planning is the need to divert money to develop an
effective cybersecurity framework so that sensitive and
confidential patient health information can be protected. In
order to have a solid cybersecurity framework in place, it is
essential for healthcare organizations to strategically deploy
financial resources to integrate new kinds of cybersecurity
tools and techniques such as intrusion detection and
prevention systems, scanning tools, and antivirus software.
• Another key implication of the identified trend is the need to
use funds to offer frequent and timely training and
development opportunities to the workforce in the healthcare
organizational context. It is vital to emphasize training aspects
and use finance so that relevant educational materials,
workshops and other resources can be used to upgrade the
skills, competence and expertise of healthcare professionals
(Huettenbach, 2022).
According to Erdal, the impact of technology-related trends on
healthcare systems has the potential to have lasting effects on
diverse stakeholders (Erdal, 2018). It can influence the quality of care
that is delivered to the patients, and it can also influence the ability
of healthcare professionals to showcase productive performance in
the dynamic professional context. Sesa has argued that technology
can positively impact the service quality and the health status of
patients (Lopo et al., 2020). However, in order to make the most of
the digital technologies in the healthcare setting, it is necessary to
strategically deviate finance towards the area so that a well-
functional IT-based infrastructure can be created and supported.
References
Erdal, E. (2018). The Impact of Technology Trends on Healthcare
Systems: A Study on Opportunities and Threats. International Journal
of Trend in Scientific Research and Development. Volume-2. 1574-
1578. 10.31142/ijtsrd18901.
Huettenbach, F. (2022, February 21). Council post: The top five trends
that are impacting healthcare right now. Forbes. Retrieved May 4,
2022, from
https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbesbusinesscouncil/2022/02/17/t
he-top-five-trends-that-are-impacting-healthcare-right-
now/?sh=3ff01c5b2736
Lopo, C., Razak, A., Maidin, A., Rivai, F., Mallongi, A., & Sesa, E.
(2020). Technology impact on healthcare quality of the hospital: A
literature review. Enfermería Clínica, 30, 81-86.
