Mobile devices are an important part of health IT infrastructure. They allow clinicians immediate access to the information they need whether they are operating in a primary care, ICU, or emergency setting. And, they enable rapid communication with team members, which could save a patient’s life.
The consumerization of IT has affected user expectations of mobile devices. Users tend to prefer to have one device from which they need to access all of the apps both professional and personal. As you have already implemented, a program which offers a choice of IT-provisioned devices, gives workers some flexibility and helps the organization secure protected health information (PHI).
Emphasize “Choice”
From your users' perspective, one drawback of your program is that it doesn’t offer the unlimited variety of a bring your own device (BYOD) policy. To offset this, Lenovo suggests populating your device portfolio with a range of device types. You can also customize each user’s options according to their job role. Moving forward, you’ll want your portfolio to include:
- Business-grade build quality, support services, security features and connectivity options. Whether your healthcare institution is a commercial enterprise or not, consider business-grade PCs as they undergo the most rigorous testing and have superior reliability over consumer PCs; critical for delivering 24X7 care. Such devices, like ThinkPad and ThinkCentre PCs, also offer a wider selection of support services and security features. For example, access prioritized tech support and on-site servicing - which is crucial if devices are connected to critical medical systems. Achieve the highest healthcare IT security standards with hardware-based fingerprint readers which are much harder to hack.
- A range of device types based on an audit of job roles in your organization. Today there are many choices, each with their own advantages for different worker roles. Gain user buy-in ahead of time to ease the transition to your new program.
- Intel® Active Management Technology, which enables IT managers to discover, repair and help protect networked computing assets. They can also remotely erase all the data on a device which has been lost or stolen.
- Windows 10 Pro security features that help to protect data in the event of a human error or if a device is lost or stolen. For example, Windows Information Protection helps prevent unauthorized or accidental sharing of healthcare information and allows you to remotely delete such data from a lost or stolen device. BitLocker data encryption, supported by many ThinkPad and ThinkCentre devices, will encrypt all data on a device, ensuring it cannot be accessed by unauthorized users.
Additionally, you can simplify PC deployment with a solution like Advanced Deployment Services. This is a customizable self-install wizard that enables final configuration steps to be performed by your end users instead of a technician. Whether joining a domain, installing software, setting up printers or migrating data, you can empower your end users to self-serve and reduce the burden on IT admins.
