SPRINGFIELD, Va.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--
Spok, Inc. today reported that the "bring your own device" trend in
hospitals, often referred to as "BYOD," continues to be a leading
approach for organizations pursuing efficient mobile communications
among clinical staff. Both corporate-issued and personal devices pose
risks for protected health information (PHI) if details are shared
through insecure means. To help mitigate this risk, many hospitals are
looking for secure communication tools. However, a secure texting app is
merely part of a much larger project that allows hospital staff to use
their own mobile devices for patient care-related communications.
The push for BYOD environments is often prompted by the hospital staff.
“Physicians are among those driving these models,” said Terri
Olson-Stepp, Spok’s vice president of services. “Hospitals are
evaluating BYOD, from both a financial and preference perspective.
Doctors are influential within hospitals, and many of them want the
convenience and ease of using their own devices. Every hospital is going
to have to deal with this question.”
Olson-Stepp said many hospitals seek guidance from Spok’s professional
services team on secure clinical communications and BYOD programs – from
the initial design through final implementation, device registration,
and training. “For some hospitals, secure texting and BYOD are part of
their everyday communication strategy. There are a number of
institutions piloting these programs for specific physician groups or
departments. But most institutions are still in the initial phases, and
many hospitals turn to us for help.”
BYOD implementation has been slow, in part due to the considerable IT
undertaking. “There are many items for a hospital to consider before
implementing a BYOD program,” said Hemant Goel, Spok’s chief operating
officer. Goel noted that infrastructure planning around Wi-Fi build-outs
is a big component, and all facilities have to deal with which staff
members can bring their own devices and who pays for what. “All of these
details come with a price tag – both time and money – and these planning
processes are taking between one and four years to complete. Many
hospitals are still in the early stages and looking for experienced
technical assistance.”
Part of that assistance comes in the form of training. “Without training
on the new solution, staff members can become frustrated and resort to
such habits as standard texting, which does not provide security for
patient information,” said Goel. He added that hospitals are asking Spok
for help with training during the implementation process, as well as
subsequent support to help keep BYOD momentum moving forward. He also
noted that it is important for hospitals to provide users with access to
either a knowledgeable person or at least an online resource who can
respond to questions after the initial BYOD registration and training.
For more information about the steps to consider when implementing a
BYOD strategy, read the 2015
Hospital Guide to Bring Your Own Device Policies.
About Spok
Spok, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Spok
Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: SPOK), headquartered in Springfield, Va., is
proud to be a leader in critical communications for healthcare,
government, public safety, and other industries. We deliver smart,
reliable solutions to help protect the health, well-being, and safety of
people around the globe. More than 125,000 organizations worldwide rely
on Spok for workflow improvement, secure texting, paging services,
contact center optimization, and public safety response. When
communications matter, Spok delivers. Visit us at spok.com or
find us on Twitter @Spoktweets.
Spok is a trademark of Spok Holdings, Inc.
Spok, Inc.
Jill Asby, 952-230-5363
jill.asby@spok.com
Source: Spok, Inc.