Mastering Mobility: What About the Users?

By Tom Foley, Director, Global Health Solution Strategy, Lenovo Health

Mobile devices are an important part of the modern health landscape, but the industry needs to go further than that. Organizations require more than support from high-quality mobile devices; they need users to be readily mobile, too. Secure, compliant mobile devices can act as worthy starting points, but the question remains: Where do they lead? Instead of simply adding in mobile components, organizations should look to achieve mobility in various forms.

For providers, any given day can require movement in a variety of directions—from one patient room to the next, to meetings with medical staff, to reviewing lab work, to potentially responding to patients in need after hours…the list could go on. Similar to anybody with a long, dynamic to-do list, providers are often pressed for time and consistently on the go. Their diverse and demanding days are proof enough that they desperately need to be able to move from one task to the next without second thought.

Health organizations are a bustling combination of moving parts—including multiple doctors, nurses, lab technicians, IT personnel, and front-desk staff, not to mention patients. Consider the diversity of constituents that could be involved in one patient's care. As health professionals move about their day, mobility needs are tied into more than just physical movements—they need to be able to bring relevant data and the capability to communicate along with them.

Enter the right technology. The right technology, while not a comprehensive answer to mobility, has the potential to be the foundation of mobility-driven success. When coupled with the right accessories and matched with the needs of a given set of stakeholders, the right technology can be a solution that maximizes efficiency and makes data access possible close to the point of care. The breadth and depth of existing possible solutions gives organizations, teams, and even individual health professionals the distinct ability to match technologies’ capabilities to specific perceived needs.

The thing to remember, however, is that technology can’t do it alone. To create mobility that works for users, and eventually patients, health organizations need to look beyond the actual devices to central strategies and apparent needs. Technology can only make the day-to-day easier if it is paired with the right user. Devices need to be part of an intricate strategy rather than used as a blanket, one-size-fits-all solution. David Armano’s’ comments in an article for Harvard Business Review bring clarity to the essentials of this concept:

“Mobility trumps mobile. The difference between mobility and mobile is like the difference between hardware and software. Mobile is linked to devices—it is always one thing, wherever it is. But mobility changes with context: cultures incorporate mobile technologies differently. For example, in Africa, SMS technology helps farmers pay bills electronically. In America, it helps teenagers keep up with their friends—an average of 60 times a day. Mobile itself is the nuts, bolts, and infrastructure, while mobility is the context which determines if it all works together or doesn’t.”

In the context of healthcare, mobility could mean all the difference. It could be the backbone of something as critical as reliable care coordination, regardless of which team members are where at any given moment, or it could mean something as simple as the ability to make more efficient use out of providers’ precious (and in-demand) hours. The notion of “could be” is simply dependent on what might be most beneficial to a particular organization, and how productively they work to implement mobility-focused strategies.

In yet another article talking about mobility in its broadest sense, Daniel Newman tackles the meaningful consideration of mobility, not just mobile. His article for D!gitalist Magazine emphasizes that true mobility is “a cultural shift”:

“To deliver the experience and benefits your users are looking for, it’s important to recognize that mobility hasn’t just changed how we work or our expectations as consumers. It has cultural implications that require a whole different mindset.”

Mobility is about the users, so organizations should strategize with users in mind. What portfolio of devices, paired with accessories (such as carts, carry cases, wall mounts, etc.), can best encompass the wide-ranging needs of an entire facility that includes nurses, doctors, front-desk staff, IT professionals, patients, and more? Throwing the latest devices into the hands of staff is not the answer. Start with staff and work to adequately understand their needs and preferences. Build your portfolio of technology, and your organization's mobile culture, around just that: the users.

Reference Articles:

1.   “Mobile Vs. Mobility: Understanding The Business Difference [VIDEO]” D!gitalist Magazine. September 18, 2015.

2.  “The Future Isn’t About Mobile; It’s About Mobility” Harvard Business Review. July 18, 2012.