Cybersecurity, the transformational powers of data, how interoperability affects workflows, and how to accelerate innovation were featured topics at the LeadingAge Annual Meeting in late October, which featured 13 sessions focused on current challenges and opportunities in aging services technologies. Below are key takeaways that appeared in HealthTech Magazine.

Cybersecurity to Protect Providers

A special cybersecurity session focused on how to prevent data breaches, an important concern because the healthcare industry sees the highest costs for these breaches, said “LeadingAge24: How Can Senior Care Organizations Protect Themselves from Hackers?”

Presenters included John DiMaggio, CEO at BlueOrange Compliance, a LeadingAge Bronze Partner; Travis Gleinig, vice president of Innovation and CIO at New Jersey-based United Methodist Communities, a LeadingAge CAST Patron; and Steven VanderVelde, director of senior living partnerships at ProviNET Solutions, a LeadingAge Corporate Partner.

While data breaches can happen through several channels, humans are involved in three-fourths of them. Training staff to look for and avoid vulnerabilities is key, especially now that artificial intelligence (AI) is generating convincing, legitimate-looking phishing emails.

As a preventative measure, providers should build a culture that encourages reporting and cybersecurity best practices, such as safeguarding logins and preventing staff from sharing data to nonsecure devices and personal email addresses. Other important next steps are to maximize penetration testing and prepare incident response and disaster recovery plans.

To manage increasing costs of cyber insurance, providers should ensure that the information technology (IT) team and finance leadership coordinate on insurance applications and coverage, as well as on the security protocols in place.

How Data Can Improve Health for Residents and Organizations

Additional sessions highlighted ways that data can improve resident and organizational health, with advice from speaker Kunaal Goel, VP of Analytics & Insights, Sentrics, a LeadingAge Gold Partner with CAST Focus; Terry Freed, president and CEO, and Bryan McCrea, director of software development at Prelude Services, a LeadingAge Corporate Partner; and Bruce Shearer, CIO at HealthBridge Technology Solutions.

“LeadingAge24: How Data Can Transform Aging-Services Organizations” highlighted that by using data analytics, providers can understand the bigger picture of a resident’s health by seeing the social determinants of health and clinical data affecting each resident. Engagement analytics from devices such as advanced location services accelerometers that track resident movements can help to understand whether residents are living with purpose.

In addition to improving health outcomes, these insights enable a provider to meet residents’ increasing expectations for whole-health care and to compete in today’s environment. A data-informed approach also brings cost savings for payers and senior living organizations.

While data analytics is a powerful business tool, the article noted, less than half of providers are pursuing data strategy. For those who do, planning for data governance is essential to ensure that data’s quality. Providers should also validate the data being processed from the data warehouse to ensure it is consistent and to build trust among users. Hiring a database administrator to structure the data warehouse and oversee data modeling is important, as is training employees to report data effectively.

Interoperability Affects Workforce and Health Outcomes

“LeadingAge24: Create Efficient Senior Care Workflows with Interoperability” shares learnings from presenter Bill Charnetski, executive vice president of health system solutions and government affairs at PointClickCare, a LeadingAge Gold Partner with CAST Focus.

Healthcare IT, systems interoperability, and integrated health IT tools can address the challenge of staff shortages that are beginning to affect access to care, especially in smaller organizations and geographical areas. Integrated health IT tools can help by handling routine tasks, enabling staff to maximize their talents and training to care for older adults. Automated communication and scheduling are important functions to improve efficiencies.

The ability to share health information also matters to patient care. Nursing homes that serve a high number of Medicaid patients and use electronic health records were 50% more likely to have a better quality rating and that electronic health records have been found to substantially lower malnutrition and urinary tract infections, said the article. Charnetski also discussed how interoperability can increase staff retention and how standards for interoperability and health information exchange vary among different states and the federal government.

Ways to Speed Innovation

As part of its LeadingAge24 wrapup, HealthTech also shared “LeadingAge24: How to Accelerate Innovation in Senior Living and Post-Acute Care” by Liz Cramer, the chief post-acute and senior care strategist for CDW Healthcare, a LeadingAge Bronze Partner with CAST Focus.

Current innovations include smart home automation such as AI, remote patient monitoring, wellness tools, and automation for rote tasks, said the article. These tools empower residents to live more independently and enable communication with staff and care teams. In addition, sensors, remote monitoring, and wearables are being used across the care continuum to address workforce shortages and offer proactive care.

An effective approach to implementing technologies is to identify an organization’s foundational and IT needs, put important structures and governance in place, then enhance operational and clinical workflows. Leadership and care staff should be included in the initiative along with IT staff.