Weighing benefits and risks in aspects of security, privacy and adoption of technology in a value-based healthcare system.

BACKGROUND: Technology can potentially enable the implementation of a value-based healthcare system, where the impact of quality of care is offered at optimised cost for maximised patient benefit. Technology can deliver value by aiding in data collection to evaluate outcomes and measure costs on a patient and population level. Healthcare organisations, however, face several challenges and risks that result almost exclusively from the use of these technologies.

DISCUSSION: Some challenges associated with healthcare technology include their unsustainability, due to lack of scale-up plans and timely evaluations. Other risks include noncompliance with data protection policies, inadequate data governance, and overestimated expectations resulting from the rapid introduction of new technologies.

CONCLUSION: Organisations need to consider the risks and challenges associated with the use of technology and develop comprehensive strategies that mitigate factors leading to non-adoption and to realise benefits for achieving a value-based healthcare system.