More than two-thirds (68 per cent) of UK healthcare workers agree that investment in new or better technology could help save lives.
The new Critical Technology for Critical Care: The State of Mobility in Healthcare 2020/21 Report, commissioned by enterprise mobility and IoT management provider SOTI revealed that outdated technology is having far-reaching consequences in the UK healthcare sector.
Care workers, visiting nurses, and nurses in the field from across the UK, Germany, France, Sweden, U.S., Canada, and Australia were surveyed to understand how technologically equipped they are and 55 per cent believed that better technology investment is needed to help save lives.
64 per cent of healthcare workers (63 per cent globally) estimate they experience device and system failures due to IT/technology issues within a normal working week and 56 per cent (54 per cent globally) say that trying to use thier employers technology wastes valuable time they could have spent helping patients.
COVID Impact
During the COVID-19 pandemic, many healthcare providers have turned to technology to help ease the burden caused by the disease. 23 per cent of UK healthcare workers (33 per cent) globally) said that new systems and/or technology have been introduced by their employer during the pandemic.
Despite this surge to meet the demands of the pandemic, just 24 percent of UK healthcare workers (22 per cent globally) said their technology systems were prepared to manage any situation related to COVID-19, while 26 per cent said their existing systems and technology have been unable to cope.
Meeting healthcare workers’ demands and concerns
There is hope for IoT to help improve healthcare practices and improve patient care.
Providing mobile equipment to healthcare professionals out in the field is a delicate balancing act, as their employers must ensure devices are functioning correctly.
More than two-thirds (68 per cent) agree accessing employer systems on a mobile device when visiting patients would make their jobs easier (64 per cent overall).
82 per cent (81 per cent globally) have said they have had issues with the systems and technology used when out visiting and caring for patients in the past.
