In the evolving landscape of home-based care, cloud-based solutions play a pivotal role in enhancing accessibility, data security and operational efficiency. Most organizations are already utilizing many of these solutions as technology adoption shifts rapidly.

While most are familiar with the benefits of cloud-based solutions, such as real-time access and enabling clinical staff to access information at any time, from anywhere, there are clear influences that will drive cloud-based solutions supporting home-based care delivery in the years to come, as well as considerations for managing them.

“I see consumers affecting the trends, and I see innovation like AI affecting where we are in five years [with cloud-based solutions],” says Andrew Olowu, Chief Technology Officer for technology innovator and home-based care solutions provider Axxess. “And of course, regulations will always affect where we will be [in the future].”

Driving forces

With consumers adopting artificial intelligence solutions widely in their day-to-day experiences, their wants and needs are bound to drive the future of cloud-based solutions, Olowu says.

From customer service chat bots to automated driving functions and interactive GPS platforms, individuals and households have already become highly accustomed to AI in their daily lives. Now they are expecting it in the tools they use for business, cloud-based solutions included.

“Consumers are used to AI in non-health care settings,” Olowu says. “So they want that same level of technology and advancement in cloud-based solutions.”

Those technologies are already making inroads in home-based care, with the cloud being a major support of the patient and client data that remote monitoring devices collect, says Tammy Ross, Executive Vice President of Professional Services for Axxess.

“Wearables now can detect a UTI just by [collecting] health care patterns,” Ross says. “It’s increasing patients’ speed to care because the wearables are notifying the nurse immediately that there’s a change in the health care pattern and we can get a nurse out there and get a lab on them and get them treated and keep them out of the hospital.”

Virtual assistance is another form of cloud-based technology that many home-based care providers are already utilizing.

“They’re streamlining a lot of the busy work that comes into the office and maybe even for the clinician, they are using communication chat bots to answer the phones,” Ross says.

The rapid shift in data availability and management will be the core of software evolution going forward, as so many tools and technologies rely on increasing amounts of data.

“Data is what AI needs to survive,” Olowu says. “It’s like the food for artificial intelligence, so we’re seeing a liberation of data where we can put it into AI systems to make actionable decisions.”

Adapting to change

The speed at which technology is evolving has never been so great, and in many ways that is a boon to home-based care providers that are stretched thin with fewer staff and more referrals to home health. Cloud-based technology enables home-based care workers to access patient information anywhere, at any time. It also allows them to easily and quickly transmit patient information in real time, meaning more informed care decisions.

Yet managing massive amounts of data comes with new challenges and responsibilities, as well.

“It’s a reason to be excited, but with every upside, there’s also a downside that we have to worry about,” says Olowu. “When we think about AI, it’s going to bring about a lot of advancements, but it also presents data security concerns.”

Home-based care organizations need to consider that AI is an evolving technology and may not provide 100% accuracy of information. Data management and complexity are additional considerations for health care leaders, who need to consider not only the benefits to large data sets, but the security that data requires.

Olowu recommends partnering with an organization that has experience in cybersecurity and can respond to any questions that may arise with respect to navigating the challenges around technology in a cloud-based environment.

Home health organizations should also ensure that their technology partner is versed in the opportunities that data provides for more efficient operations and better patient outcomes. They have to be ready for the challenges, too.

“Partner with your technology provider,” Olowu says. “Make sure you can address those concerns as things start to exponentially grow.”

Cloud-based data: Vetting your technology vendor

For organizations that are seeking a new technology partner, or for those that want to ensure their technology partner is aligned from a data management and security perspective, here are four questions to ask, according to Olowu:

• Does the technology partner hold certifications with respect to data security? 
• Does the technology partner focus on the right things? 
• Is the technology’s leadership aligned with the overall goals of home-based care providers? 
• Does the technology partner have a proven track record of protecting patient data?

The answers to those questions will get you on your way.

Axxess is a comprehensive platform built by home-based care experts to empower home health professionals in delivering quality care. To learn how Axxess is partnering with operators to help them make the greatest impact on all stakeholders through actionable data, visit https://www.axxess.com/home-health-software/.