The need for middleware and Clinical Communication & Collaboration (CC&C) systems in hospitals is evolving with advancements in medical communication technologies. Initially serving as simple bridges for systems like nurse call and telemetry, modern CC&C platforms now incorporate sophisticated features including secure messaging, voice calling, and patient engagement via smartphones and specialized devices. However, the industry's lack of comprehensive planning has led to complex, often unmanageable integrated systems, known as “accidental architecture.” The landscape is further complicated by the dominance of EHR-centric systems like Epic, regulatory constraints on alarm management, and the push towards a unified communication platform. Despite the competition, CC&C and middleware solutions remain relevant by offering essential integration capabilities that EHRs currently cannot, especially in alarm management. The future likely sees a convergence towards single comprehensive platforms, though regulatory and market dynamics will heavily influence this transition.

Do Hospitals still need Middleware and CC&C? publication

David Cahn’s article discusses the imminent boom in data center construction driven by AI, predicting 2025 as the "Year of the Data Center." The piece outlines several significant trends: an expected transformation in energy sectors through new solar, battery, and nuclear projects; potential operational challenges for hyperscalers; and the economic boon for industries like steel, energy, and construction. Major tech companies such as Amazon, Microsoft, Google, and Meta have committed massive investments into new data centers, though this will strain existing power grids and supply chains. As AI progresses from hype to industrial-scale implementation, both anticipated challenges and opportunities will shape the tech and energy landscapes.

AI is Now Shovel Ready Sequoia Capital

Apple has launched a new ad campaign urging iPhone users to stop using Google Chrome, emphasizing privacy concerns. This move comes as Google aims to increase Chrome's presence on iPhones, potentially impacting their financial arrangement where Google Search is the default on Apple's Safari browser. Amidst looming monopoly investigations, Apple's ad leverages privacy fears by highlighting Chrome's ongoing use of tracking cookies and undisclosed data collection. This strategic push underlines a broader battle for user retention and browser market share between Safari and Chrome, particularly as AI-driven search capabilities evolve.

Apple Warns Millions Of iPhone Users—Stop Using Google Chrome Forbes

The Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT (ONC) has introduced the HTI-2 proposed rule, aiming to enhance data sharing and interoperability within the healthcare sector by setting new standards for health IT. This 1,067-page rule builds on HTI-1 and includes voluntary certification for payers and public health IT systems. Key updates involve standard-based APIs, promoting certification standards that could improve the flow of healthcare data and the patient experience. While stakeholders like America's Health Insurance Plans see potential benefits, some EHR vendors are concerned about the compliance timelines. The rule also addresses public health data sharing gaps exposed during the COVID-19 pandemic, emphasizing the creation of unified data-sharing standards across various health entities.

ONC's HTI-2 proposed rule 'big step forward' for interoperability, health IT experts say, but EHR vendors concerned about timelines Fierce Healthcare