Predicting the future

It’s that time of year when the industry starts offering predictions for next year’s technology trends.

Gartner released its list of ten strategic technology trends that it advises companies to plan for in 2014 and beyond. The firm’s top overall IT trends had to present a high potential for disruption to IT or a business, the need for a major dollar investment, or the risk of being late to adopt.

Some of the top tech trends to make the list include mobile device diversity and management, mobile apps and applications, the internet of everything and the era of the personal cloud.

Cleveland Clinic also offered its predictions on which medical innovations will most dramatically improve healthcare in 2014, including a bionic eye, a neurostimulator for epilepsy and fecal transplantation.

Those in the business of predicting the future also offer estimates for the growth of the health IT market. The North American health IT market is forecast to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 7.4 percent and reach $31.3 billion by 2017, according to MarketsandMarkets. The value of the health IT market was $21.9 billion in 2012.

Pressure to cut healthcare costs, growing demand to integrate healthcare systems, rising interest in computerized physician order entry to reduce medication errors and government incentives all contribute to the expected growth.

Meanwhile, the health insurance exchange (HIX) situation trudges on with President Obama acknowledging the problems with the website, calling for patience and reminding everyone that there are other avenues to insurance enrollment. And, the House Energy and Commerce Committee held two hearings this week to explore the roots of the rocky implementation.

Will any of the predictions for 2014 impact your organization's strategic planning? Please share your thoughts.

Beth Walsh

Clinical Innovation + Technology editor