The Future of Tech Support & the Health Care Industry
IT vendors have their hands full supporting complex and ever-evolving technology in the health care industry. Fortunately, automation and artificial intelligence are poised to reshape the way tech support firms operate, a shift that will result in an infrastructure that is both more customer-facing and robotic at the same time. This is the first stage in what promises to be a much larger transformation in the way health care providers and tech support coexist.
Automation is Still in its Infancy but Adoption Rates Will SkyrocketÂ
There’s a lot of news about artificial intelligence and automation making great inroads within the health care IT industry, but in reality, very few providers have adopted the new technology. It is estimated that only 3-5 percent are utilizing automated client service strategies currently, but that number is sure to rise in the coming months and years, especially as the technology improves and the benefits become clearer. Take AI-powered conversation platforms, for instance. Once health care tech support firms develop advanced virtual agents that are able to provide users with in-depth product knowledge, bypassing the need to interact with a more traditional help desk, the technology is expected to take off. It’s all part of a bigger drive to create an enhanced client experience aimed at providing a superb customer service in order to gain an advantage over the competition.
Other changes in the management and delivery of tech support in the health care industry will include the following:
- Enhanced data monitoring. Data is the driving force behind many health care initiatives, but it requires substantial hardware, maintenance, and network storage. IT vendors are anticipating these needs by retaining a large pool of skilled subject matter experts able to provide the necessary service and support.
- Advanced cybersecurity protection. New cloud-based, social, and mobile technologies are making access to personal information easier than ever. The downside is an increased risk of security leaks – indeed, there have been several high-profile security breaches making headlines this year. It is more important than ever to protect patient data from falling into the wrong hands, something that new tech support functions and processes can help with. IT vendors are emphasizing strict protective measures, systems, policies, and protocols to prevent unauthorized access to sensitive data and ensuring their own employees fully understand HIPAA compliance protocols.
- Patient care improvements. A recent survey of clinicians found that 88 percent believe their patient care services are negatively affected by subpar user tech support. Clinically-based EHR (Electronic Health Record) tech support can go a long way toward reversing this trend; if internal delivery isn’t feasible, outsourcing via a competent tech support firm can help improve the overall experience.