Final Report: Vendors

8. Technology Adoption

Data security tools are, and will continue to be, important to healthcare users. Wireless technologies are predicted to become more important, while use of thin-clients is predicted to decline. Application service provider offerings are mixed.

When asked to identify the technologies they considered most important to their healthcare clients now, nearly half of the respondents (48%) indicated data security. Other top technology categories were intranet (40%), wireless information appliances (40%), and high-speed networks (39%).

Respondents indicated that data security and wireless information appliances will also be among the most important technologies for their clients in the next two years. Each category was cited by 50% of respondents. Extranet (45%) and handheld personal digital assistants (45%) were the next most frequently mentioned technologies. The most dramatic decline in importance was in the area of thin client technology, dropping from 38% (important now) to 25% (important in the next two years).

ASP technology offerings are mixed; as 45% of respondents indicated they offer ASP applications and 39% indicated they do not. The most frequently cited applications offered to clients were electronic patient record (37%), practice management systems (29%), and departmental systems (e.g. laboratory, pharmacy, radiology) (22%). Those applications most likely to be offered as ASP applications in the next two years are electronic patient records (29%), departmental systems (23%), and practice management systems (17%).

Figures:

Figure 12. Technology Adoption for Healthcare Clients (Today vs. Next Two Years)
Figure 13. Offer ASP Solutions to Clients
Figure 14. Timeframe for Offering ASP Solutions
Figure 15. ASP Solutions Offered (Today vs. In Two Years)

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