The IBM upgrade will reduce the number of IDs and passwords required to login to hospital computers, and will allow staff to reset passwords themselves, instead of relying on helpdesk support.
New and visiting clinicians can quickly gain access to the applications they need to perform their job, such as the hospital’s Computerized Physician Order Entry (CPOE) system, which is used to authorize tasks such as ordering medications or requesting lab tests.
The technology will also help Duke Medicine remain compliant with federal legislation, such as HIPAA, that dictates who should and should not have access to patients’ medical records. For example, if staff forget to sign off, the software monitors and protects the workstation by ending inactive sessions and requiring the next user to sign on to enter the system.
IBM will additionally give Duke Medicine a clear, dashboard view of the status of its IT systems, monitoring for anything that signifies a potential problem, such as a security threat or a decrease in network performance. If a problem is detected, the software will alert IT staff so they can take immediate action and prevent failures to critical systems.
Asif Ahmad, CIO of Duke Medicine explained, IBM is helping us make sure these vital systems remain operating constantly, that they remain secure, and that the right people have access to them.
