Less than half of hospitals run IoT pilots, but more are on the way
The majority of healthcare executives anticipate that Internet of Things will become mainstream this year, according to a new report from consultancy IDC.
Nearly 40 percent already have pilot projects or IoT work underway, IDC noted in a new report, “The Internet of Things — Connecting a Healthcare Ecosystem.”
Seventy-three percent, meanwhile, said they are either prepared or very prepared to support IoT in 2017.
[Also: IDC pegs digital transformation market at $20 trillion]
IDC analysts found that the most common reasons hospitals are adopting IoT-related technologies are the demonstrable return on investment, new regulations encouraging telemedicine services, digital transformation strategies, new care delivery and reimbursement models and a move to more consumer-centric platforms.
The top barriers to IoT adoption are privacy and security, limited financial incentives, lack of talent to support IT including data and analytic skills and a focus on other initiatives.
That said, the analysts also noted that such IoT projects emerge from the IT shop or business units while C-suite involvement is limited — which IDC said signify that IoT strategies are department-level rather than enterprise-wide.
Twitter: SullyHIT
Email the writer: tom.sullivan@himssmedia.com
