Prescription for change

While hospitals and other providers have long been quick to adopt breakthrough technology in medical devices, procedures, and treatments, less attention has focused on innovations in networking and communications. This is partly because of concerns about breaches in security and patient privacy, and because healthcare until recently was a service always performed locally. But that is about to change, as IT security will eventually meet the expectations of the healthcare industry. When it does, powerful IT networks crisscrossing the globe will change the way much of healthcare is delivered.