As 2015 came to a close, there are several trends in the healthcare industry that medical researchers and practitioners need to be aware of in 2016. According to PwC Health Research Institute, patients will be on the lookout for better ways to manage their health and medical expenses. Technology is also expected to play a major role in delivering personalized and improved care at reduced costs. We’ve compiled a list of the trends that are likely to affect the healthcare industry this year.

Wearables

Wearable technology is considered a revolutionary tool to connect patients with healthcare professionals. These devices are rapidly on the rise due to their ability to track a patient’s physical activities, sleep patterns, calorie consumption, and so much more. They can be used to continuously monitor a person’s health status and instantly transfer that information to the hands of clinicians. These benefits, in turn, allow healthcare providers to deliver better care for both normal symptoms and chronic conditions.

Increased demand for data While clinicians are keen to collect as much patient information as they can to improve healthcare delivery processes, there always seems to be a piece of information that is overlooked. The result? Healthcare providers either have to make assumptions based on unreliable data, or try to retrieve that information through complex processes. This is where an enterprise data warehouse (EDW) comes in. EDW is an advanced data analytics tool that enables users to access high-quality and accurate data in real time.

Cybersecurity

With the introduction of various healthcare applications and web-based services, data security and privacy will certainly become top priorities for both patients and providers. When it comes to cybersecurity in healthcare, it’s not just about medical data anymore. In recent years, we’ve seen medical devices that can be controlled and accessed remotely, such as the insulin pump. But if someone were to hack into the device and tamper with the dosage, the patient’s life could be in danger of a potentially lethal dose. While there has been no reports of such incident, healthcare providers will likely become more conscious about cybersecurity, since they can’t afford to take any chances.

Organ perfusion systems

In response to the organ supply shortage problem, the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) approved two cutting-edge technologies -- the Xvivo Perfusion System and the OrganCare System -- in order to improve the viability of donated lungs and hearts for transplantation. In the coming years, these systems could potentially double the number of lung and heart transplants and serve all patients that are on the waiting list for donated organs.

Patient-centered care

There will be a significant change in the healthcare industry’s approach to providing care. More and more hospitals are trying to improve the quality of service delivery and increase the patient’s satisfaction and engagement by providing patient-centered care. This type of care generally involves transforming the traditional relationship between doctors and patients, in which a care provider prescribes the same treatment for patients with similar conditions, into a patient-centered care that considers treatment options based on each patient’s unique preferences and needs.

Want to learn more about the latest trends in the healthcare industry? Or are you looking into implementing powerful technology for your healthcare business? Get in touch with our experts today and see how we can help.

One of the biggest problems facing new Android users relates to music. More specifically, it relates to just how in the heck does one get their beloved, and often times robust, iTunes Library onto their shiny new Android phone. Believe it or not, the process isn’t as complicated as it seems. There are a few different methods available to you and as long as you have some free time and a bit of patience, you’ll soon be using your Android phone to listen to your favorite song.

Drag and Drop

The most straightforward method of moving music involves a task you're probably already familiar with, dragging and dropping files. Alternatively, you can also copy and paste them, the choice is yours.

Start by connecting your Android phone to your laptop. From there, you will need to create a new folder on your Android phone from your laptop where you will place your music and open it up. Once that is completed, you should then open iTunes and highlight the songs you want to move. From there you can either drag and drop the files directly into the newly created folder on your Android phone, or select copy and then paste them into the folder. The results will be the same either way and your music will transfer over to your phone. Remember, if your laptop is a Mac you will need the Android File Transfer app available from Android in order to do this.

Apple Music

Apple Music recently made its way to Android and in addition to the streaming music service you are also able to access the songs you have purchased through iTunes. When you open up the Apple Music app you should be able to see your playlists from your iTunes Library show up when you go to My Music > My Playlists. There are two things you will want to take note of when considering Apple Music for Android. First, it is $10 a month to subscribe to the service and use the app. Second, the app is still new and Apple has not quite worked out all the kinks just yet according to reports.

Google Play Music

If you don’t need the physical files on your phone and are happy having access to your music via the cloud, then Google Play Music is a solution you might want to consider. For starters, it comes pre-loaded on all Android phones so the first step is already taken care of for you. You’ll need to download the Google Music Play app on your laptop (it's compatible with both Mac and PC), and then connect it to your iTunes library which will help you during the setup process. You can store up to 20,000 songs on your Google cloud at any given time which should be enough space for most people.

The downside of Google Play Music is that you’ll need to be connected to the Internet in order to have access to your music, which means this solution isn’t ideal if you’re on a plane for a long time or in another scenario where Internet access isn’t readily available.

If you’re thinking about switching from iOS to Android phones for your business then why not give our experts a call. We can help make sure your transition a smooth one.