Claire Reilly, RN MSc
VP of Clinical Operations and Chief Nursing and Informatics Officer at Imprivata
In the fast-paced healthcare environment, where every second counts, mobile devices have become essential tools for clinicians. These devices enable quick access to patient records, improved care, and enhanced productivity. However, healthcare organizations experience challenges when implementing devices without the proper tools or a unified strategy, with lost devices being one of the most significant. In fact, a new report from the Ponemon Institute and Imprivata, “Unlocking the Cost of Chaos: The State of Mobility in Life- and Mission-Critical Industries,” reveals that organizations experience widespread financial, operational, and security challenges stemming from device loss.
At a time when many are grappling with budgetary challenges, unrelenting cyber threats, and labor shortages, device loss is a risk no hospital can ignore. When compared to other industries, healthcare spends the most on IT security support due to lost mobile devices: The total cost amounts to a staggering $750,270, the report finds. The repercussions of lost devices have a ripple effect on other organizational functions, jeopardizing patient privacy, cybersecurity, straining budgets, and hindering the very efficiency they were meant to enhance.
The State of Enterprise Mobility in Healthcare
Shared desktop computers are a clinician’s primary way of accessing patient records. However, as clinicians face heavier patient workloads, being restricted to a stationary computer is no longer efficient. Clinicians need to move freely while updating patient information or taking notes. To tackle this issue and provide clinicians with mobility, healthcare organizations have implemented shared mobile devices, with the goal of enabling clinicians to access the electronic health record (EHR) quickly and seamlessly. Security and privacy regulations impose additional authentication requirements on clinicians, inadvertently resulting in slower workflows and impacting productivity. As a result, clinicians resort to finding workarounds which introduce security risks.
These risks not only jeopardize patient safety by introducing gaps and vulnerabilities for cyber threats, but they also expose healthcare organizations to regulatory penalties and reputational damage. The report reveals that unauthorized access to employee mobile devices has resulted in data breaches for over half (54%) of the surveyed organizations. Only 28% of IT practitioners believe their programs and strategies can effectively secure mobile devices and sensitive data. The repercussions of a data breach or cyberattack are especially concerning in the healthcare industry, as patient outcomes and safety are directly impacted. This underscores the urgent need for more secure and efficient methods of accessing and managing enterprise-owned mobile devices.
The Financial Impact of Device Loss
Beyond security and patient safety, there is a notable price tag associated with device loss, also coming at a cost to healthcare’s bottom line. The Imprivata report found that, on average, healthcare organizations spend $822 to replace a single mobile device, further straining already tight budgets and resources. Furthermore, healthcare organizations spend a substantial amount on IT help desk support associated with lost devices - a whopping $136,135, according to the report. Given the increasing reliance on these devices, the financial impact can quickly add up and drain valuable resources that could otherwise be allocated to patient care.
The True Cost of Lost Time
The operational impact of device loss poses significant challenges for healthcare organizations, affecting productivity, patient care, and overall efficiency. Tracking down and remediating the risks of device loss is error-fraught and time-consuming, as healthcare organizations spend an average of 129 hours per week managing, maintaining, tracking, and monitoring mobile devices. In addition, only 40% of healthcare organizations believe that the end-user experience on mobile devices is satisfactory. For clinicians, mobile devices are only as efficient as they are usable. The last thing a clinician wants to worry about while caring for an ailing patient is remembering their 16-character password and typing it correctly on their phone to access the EHR. Time is precious and if a device is not easy to use, it is rendered to drawer or shelf. This results in low adoption of devices and applications, minimizing value from mobile devices investments.
Enabling a Mobile-First Future
This new research depicts a costly and concerning reality: Mobile devices have great potential, but healthcare organizations are struggling to harness it, and it’s taking a widespread toll. The repercussions of a breach in healthcare can be dire for patient safety and privacy. To mitigate these risks, IT teams should work cross-functionally with clinical end-users to develop a unified mobile strategy. In healthcare, it’s crucial to include clinical end-users when implementing new technologies to ensure they will be effective and meet the needs of the workforce. As the healthcare industry faces increased care demands, labor shortages, budgetary constraints, and cyber threats, it’s critical for organizations to be aware of these risks and best practices in their approach to digitalization.
To learn more about the report and these best practices, register to attend our webinar 'The Hidden Cost of Mismanaged Mobile' on April 11.