#Myths about Staff Augmentation

[true-firms]

Debunking 5 Myths of Staff Augmentation Services

Explore the truth behind common misconceptions about staff augmentation services in our latest blog.

From debunking cost concerns to addressing communication challenges, learn how staff augmentation can be a cost-effective and efficient solution for your business.

Discover the benefits, dispel the myths, and gain insights into optimizing project management with augmented teams. Read more now!

[rapidinnovation]

Common Misconceptions About Generative AI Services

There is much misinformation circulating regarding generative AI development services, making it hard to separate fact from fiction. AI technology presents both challenges and opportunities to business leaders looking to use its potential across their organization in order to enhance efficiency and increase profitability. We will address 10 common myths surrounding generative AI as we showcase its value here in this blog post.

Myth 1: Generative AI has only recently come about

Generative custom AI solutions has recently come into public consciousness. However, AI technology has been around since the 1950s - evolving continuously since then into AI/ML methodologies used to support new technologies like forecasting, supply planning, inventory management, manufacturing operations optimization and network optimization processes.

Myth 2: Generative AI works best as an opaque system

At first glance, the idea of using generative AI technology for your supply chain processes might seem appealing. But experienced planners know that human oversight is necessary to achieving good outcomes when determining strategies, developing forecasts, building supply plans and managing inventory. Effective integration between the generative AI tech and subject matter experts is especially key in cases of exceptions or last minute requests or sudden disruptions.

Myth 3: Artificial intelligence systems always outwit humans

Yes, generative AI offers distinct advantages over human abilities. It can learn faster than humans and is trained to process and analyze large volumes of data based on training data, algorithms and statistical models. Unfortunately, however, generative AI cannot provide contextual information from situations or use human concepts of understanding, feelings and intuition to interpret those data sets.

Imagine an order from one of your key customers is going to be late; through personal connections and their knowledge of vendor performance, supply chain managers know they can leverage personal relationships to expedite shipments more rapidly than generative AI can. AI only acts on what has been learned through training data while supply chain managers use intuition based on contextual factors to make decisions and take actions accordingly.

Myth 4: Generative AI will reduce staff at your company

Generative AI development services to augment and support human workforces, making tasks simpler for workers while freeing them to focus more on strategic decision-making than tedious repetitive labor.

Imagine this: in advance of their biweekly S&OP meeting, an analyst must identify products requiring extra scrutiny along with key reports and KPIs. A powerful AI assistant would then generate this data automatically, freeing the analyst up to focus on interpreting metrics and planning rather than searching through piles of data to make decisions on key factors.

Myth 5: Generative AI solutions are 100% reliable and consistent

Relying solely on GenAI predictions without human validation can result in disastrous results, leading to "hallucinations", when chatbots create answers not supported by real data. We can avoid this scenario by being transparent about all inputs and approaches used by GenAI model. GenAI shows users which data sources correspond with answers for their question. This gives confidence to users while giving an opportunity to spot potential inaccuracies if any exist.

Myth 6: Generative AI can handle bias present in training data without issue

Generative AI generates predictions based on its training data. If the training data is inaccurate in representing reality, its outcomes will reflect these inaccuracies.

Under pressure to lower inventory costs, an inventory manager might use different strategies than their initial optimized plan in order to reduce stock by a small percentage. An AI inventory model might then use these policies as inputs which create shortages and lost sales resulting in decreased profitability; with proper solutions this issue can be addressed by probing model assumptions and inputs, while training models to recognize bias.

Myth 7: Generative AI has feelings and cognitive capabilities

Generative AI development services is not sentient; although it may appear so at times. Though generative AI might appear emotional at times, it doesn't possess feelings or empathy and doesn't comprehend its own messages in the same way humans do. When you ask a chatbot a question, its response usually consists of words or phrases generated through an advanced prediction model rather than human-level interpretation based on feelings and emotions.

Myth 8: Generative AI can replace human intuition and decision-making capabilities

As discussed above, human intuition is often essential in making sound decisions. By combining AI models and experience together we can achieve maximum effectiveness when developing supply chain planning and management solutions.

[appson-technologies]

Debunking the Myths: The Truth About Staff Augmentation

## Staff Augmentation: Separating Fact from Fiction

Staff augmentation, a strategic approach to supplementing a company’s workforce with external talent, has gained significant traction in recent years. However, misconceptions about this model persist, hindering its widespread adoption. This article aims to dispel common myths surrounding staff augmentation and illuminate its true potential as a valuable business tool.

### Myth 1: Staff Augmentation is More Expensive Than Hiring Permanent Employees

One of the most pervasive misconceptions about staff augmentation is that it is a more costly option compared to hiring permanent employees. While it’s true that there are additional fees associated with engaging a staffing agency, the overall cost of ownership can be significantly lower.

When calculating the total cost of employment, businesses must consider factors such as recruitment, onboarding, training, salaries, benefits, taxes, and potential turnover. These expenses can add up quickly, especially for specialized roles. Staff augmentation eliminates many of these costs by providing ready-to-work professionals with the necessary skills and experience. Additionally, the flexibility to scale the workforce up or down based on project needs can lead to significant cost savings.

### Myth 2: Loss of Control Over Project Execution

Another common misconception is that companies relinquish control over project execution when utilizing staff augmentation. This is a fallacy. Reputable staffing agencies prioritize client satisfaction and work collaboratively to ensure seamless integration of augmented teams.

To maintain control, companies can implement various strategies, including:

* **Clear project scope and objectives:** Defining project goals and deliverables upfront prevents misunderstandings and ensures alignment between the core team and augmented staff. * **Key performance indicators (KPIs):** Establishing measurable performance metrics helps track progress and evaluate the augmented team’s contribution. * **Regular communication:** Open and frequent communication channels facilitate effective collaboration and ensure that expectations are met. * **Onboarding process:** A structured onboarding program helps augmented staff quickly acclimate to the company culture and project requirements. * **Performance management:** Regular performance reviews and feedback mechanisms ensure that the augmented team is meeting expectations.

By implementing these practices, companies can retain control over project execution while benefiting from the expertise of augmented staff.

### Myth 3: Staff Augmentation is Only for Large Enterprises

A common misconception is that staff augmentation is primarily a strategy for large corporations with substantial resources. However, this is far from the truth. Businesses of all sizes can leverage the benefits of staff augmentation.

For startups, staff augmentation provides access to specialized talent without the financial burden of hiring full-time employees. This allows them to focus on core competencies and scale operations as needed. For small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), staff augmentation can help overcome skill gaps, manage fluctuating workloads, and improve operational efficiency.

### Myth 4: Compromised Data Security

Concerns about data security often deter companies from considering staff augmentation. However, reputable staffing agencies prioritize data protection and implement robust security measures to safeguard sensitive information. It is essential for companies to conduct thorough background checks on augmented staff and establish clear data handling protocols to further mitigate risks.

### The Real Benefits of Staff Augmentation

Dispelling these myths reveals the true potential of staff augmentation. By understanding the advantages, companies can make informed decisions and leverage this strategy to achieve their business objectives.

* **Access to Specialized Talent:** Staff augmentation provides access to a pool of skilled professionals with diverse expertise, allowing companies to tackle complex projects and stay competitive. * **Increased Flexibility:** The ability to scale the workforce up or down based on project demands enables organizations to adapt to changing market conditions and optimize resource allocation. * **Cost-Efficiency:** By eliminating the overhead costs associated with permanent hiring, staff augmentation can offer significant financial savings. * **Focus on Core Competencies:** By delegating non-core tasks to augmented staff, companies can concentrate on their core business activities and drive innovation. * **Risk Mitigation:** Staff augmentation reduces the risk of making long-term hiring commitments, especially in uncertain economic conditions.

### Maximizing the ROI of Staff Augmentation

To fully realize the benefits of staff augmentation, it is essential to adopt a strategic approach. Key strategies include:

* **Clear project definition:** Clearly outline project goals, scope, and deliverables to ensure alignment between the core team and augmented staff. * **Performance measurement:** Establish key performance indicators (KPIs) to track the performance of augmented staff and measure the impact on project outcomes. * **Cost-benefit analysis:** Regularly evaluate the cost-effectiveness of staff augmentation compared to hiring permanent employees. * **Long-term perspective:** Consider staff augmentation as a strategic investment that can contribute to long-term business growth and success. * **Strong partnerships:** Build strong relationships with reputable staffing agencies to ensure access to top talent and efficient project execution.

By following these guidelines and dispelling common myths, organizations can harness the full potential of staff augmentation and achieve their business objectives.

Want to dive deeper into the world of staff augmentation? Read the full article to uncover more insights and strategies for maximizing the benefits of this powerful business tool.

Click Here.

Want to learn just about Staff augmentation in USA Click Here.

[acquaintsofttech]

Myths in IT Staff Augmentation: Regain Project Control

Introduction In the technology landscape, IT staff augmentation has become a key strategy for businesses seeking specialized skills. Yet, there are instances when organizations hear some myths about losing project control while leveraging IT Staff Augmentation services. This article will highlight the myths and realities surrounding IT staff augmentation for hiring remote developers. Before…

[csmtechnologies]

IT Staff Augmentation services are a great alternative, to support the development of specific projects or cover an urgent need.

[amphibious-thing]

Can you link the article from your last post abt the Baron ?

The one I mentioned in the tags that claimed Washington had Hamilton and Laurens find Steuben boyfriends? It’s George Washington’s Gay Mess: Was the ‘Father of Our Country’ a Queen? by Charley Shively. Which was published in the book Gay Roots Vol 2.

He isn’t the only one to have suggested that Washington was gay but he does so in such a over the top way I find it impossible to take him seriously. Besides writing that “Washington and Steuben who were about the same age understood each other at once. Steuben needed a job, boys, honor and an army which the American commander provided” (emphasis mine) and that “Hamilton and Laurens immediately took up with General Steuben and found him boyfriends”, he claims that:

- The Washington cherry tree myth has staying power because of heterosexual symbolism. You see by cutting down the cherry tree Washington is symbolically braking a woman's “cherry”.

- That Washington had numerous male lovers most notably Alexander Hamilton, John Laurens, Lafayette and even his own brother Lawrence Washington.

- That Washington “often slept with a chosen staff member” and yes when he says slept with he means sex.

- He claims that to enter Washingtons “mess group” (staff) a man needed to be handsome and “perhaps well hung like Alexander Hamilton”.

- He argues that the lack of mentions of food in Washingtons diaries is evidence that his “sexual interests were entirely anal.” However he then ponders whether Washington’s “great concern with his false teeth demonstrates some oral interests.”

- Hamiltons male lovers apparently included not only Washington and Laurens (at least he gets somethings right) but also Edward Stevens and Hercules Mulligan.

- Laurens lovers apparently included not only Washington and Hamilton but also James Grant (who would have been 30 years older than the then teenage Laurens, glad this one isn’t true) and John White.

- He mentions that William North and Ben Walker lived with the Baron for sometime at the Louvre and that; “Here Billy’s picture hung prominently in the entrance and guests were asked to speculate which was more handsome the soldier or his picture.” (This one I want to be true why don’t you cite your sources Shively!!!)

This article is also, at least as far as I can tell the origin of the claim that Laurens use of “kalos ka agatho” in a letter to Hamilton was gay code. It was looking for the source for this claim that I first discovered this article years ago. But unfortunately Shively does not properly source his claims writing that he does not include “footnotes, endnotes or bibliography” because “most authors use such paraphernalia to intimidate and belittle the reader” but that those who are interested can “write the author with ten dollars".

The thing is this article does have some good points about heteronormativity and queer erasure in the study of history, but his augment gets lost when he jumps to ridiculous conclusions based on little if any evidence and then refuses to cite his sources unless you pay him $10.

[cittasolutionspvtltd]

Technical resources outsourcing is applicable for all from startups to small businesses to enterprise-grade and Fortune 500 companies.

Most companies outsource jobs to reduce costs. This may not be the biggest myth, but it’s a half-truth. Because, more and more companies nowadays opt for outsourcing to gain the advantage of subject matter expertise (Special Skillsets) and extract the intelligence, which they might be lacking in their in-house team.

Hiring a skilled dedicated resource through staff augmentation is cost-effective relative to the cost overhead of hiring a similar skill employee on the payrolls.

For more details about our resource hiring services visit - https://cittasolutions.com/hire-technical-resources

[itsbharti]

Staff Augmentation vs Managed Services Model: What’s your call in 2020?

Modern businesses across the globe realize the importance of software development. Thus, companies of all sizes, from startups to large corporations, are seeking to develop mobile apps or websites quickly to make a strong online presence in the digital era. That has resulted in an increase in IT outsourcing.

IT is predicted that the IT outsourcing market will hit $481.37 billion by 2022 compared to $314.92 billion in 2015.Author in Source Title

The reason for this drastic increase in the figure is quite apparent. Businesses want to decrease IT cost and focus on core activities for better outcomes. When you decide to outsource, some of the common questions you encounter will be;

- What is IT staff augmentation?

- What do managed services mean?

- What is the difference between staff augmentation vs managed services?

- How to decide which option is best for your project? And many more!

Well, no worries! Here, you will get answers to all your questions. We will discuss the two major outsourcing strategies, managed services and IT staff augmentation, and also which strategy should you opt for in which situations.

IT Staff Augmentation

IT staff augmentation is designed to extend your team with expert and skilled IT professionals on an on-demand basis.

IT Staff augmentation is a popular outsourcing strategy wherein you can hire highly skilled & experienced IT talent on a contract rather than permanently.

Simply, you will get highly skilled and qualified employees from software development companies offering IT staff augmentation services that help you in meeting all your project objectives.

IT staff augmentation is emerging as a popular outsourcing strategy, especially in this Covid-19 pandemic situation for employing a dedicated workforce. The reason is that many startups are looking to hire expert talent with the help of IT staff augmentation to fulfill their deadlines & aggressive project requirements.

Benefits of IT Staff Augmentation Services;

#1. Simplifies IT Recruitment

IT staff augmentation helps you with a team of experts remove all your headaches & streamline the whole procedure of recruitment by hiring experts the right fit. The reason is that these firms have extensive experience in the field of HR and offer you the right talent in an organized and systematic approach.

You just need to define your partner about your staffing requirements, and these IT staff augmentation would do the rest for you.

#2. Increased Output and Team Size

You know that with IT staff augmentation, you’ll have lower development costs. So, with the lower cost, you can hire more people & relatively increase your output. How? Let me explain.

For the same money, it will cost you to employ 10 US-based developers, you could hire 15 Indian developers that too, with similar skills & experience. It will be a great way to speed up your development process or increase your outcome.

#3. Faster time to hit the market

You’ll be able to save time that you might take for recruiting and hiring the talent for your startup with the staff augmentation. As we discussed above, as your development time reduces to an extent with staff augmentation, you will have a faster time to hit the market.

Ultimately, you will be ahead of your competitors in designing & developing your minimum viable product as well as releasing your final product to market. As a startup, what more would you wish for?

#4. Cost-Effective

Probably the most obvious & the biggest advantage It staff augmentation is cost savings. As your augmented team will work remotely, so won’t be required to bear everyday overhead expenses related to hiring a new employee. Moreover, you won’t have to worry about costs associated with benefits offered in a salary package as you are working with temporary augmented staff. All these things will reduce your overall cost.

#5. Highly Flexible

With IT staff augmentation, you can benefit from the flexibility of dispersed teams in terms of flexible pay & flexible hours. Thus, you will have all the freedom of scaling up or down your staff based on your requirements. So, you need to pay your augmented IT staff only for the time they have worked on either an hourly or monthly basis.

Managed Services

Though we have witnessed that staff augmentation vs IT managed services are used interchangeably, but there is a considerable difference between them.  

Managed services mean you outsource your entire software development to an outsourcing company. In managed IT services, you will provide the vendor with your project requirements & specifications, whereas they will have full responsibility and control of the services.

The company will provide analysts, team leads, and project managers with managed services to manage the entire project development cycle. That is why these services are known as “managed services.”

Benefits of Managed Services

1. Access to a variety of skills

With Managed IT services, you can have access to a larger pool of skills, solutions, and knowledge required to fulfill continuously evolving customers’ requirements.

2. Convenience

Managed services offer you temporary staffing services to add new resources to boost your software development. Once your project is completed, you can end the partnership with vendors and again ask for resources if you need it in the future.

3. Control

You will have a high amount f autonomy with managed services as you will manage the remote team and an in-house team.

Staff Augmentation vs Managed Services Model

As now you have an understanding of the staff augmentation and managed services model, let’s take a look at the managed services and staff augmentation comparison table;

When is Staff Augmentation Right for You?

While outsourcing software development, you would get confused between IT managed services vs staff augmentation. So, here’s a solution for when you should choose which strategy.

When you should choose IT Staff augmentation:

1) When you are building a new product with an in-house team, and you want to extend your team. You want more extra hands and professionals that might not be available in your area.

2) You have partnered with an outsourcing vendor but, that partnership is not working for you for some reason. The reasons might be you want to have control over your team, interact with them daily, etc.

3) If you are facing a skill gap in your existing team, staff augmentation is a better way to go for. YOu require specific specialized skills and expertise that are not available with your in-house staff. Or, you need a particular skill for some specific time period, then staff augmentation will be the best solution where you can hire resources with particular skills for a particular period of time.

When you should choose managed IT services:

If you do not have enough expertise and management resources like team lead, project manager, chief technical officer in your organization, managed services are the best way to go.

You can also consider managed service for long-term collaboration as the entire project development is handled by the vendor.

Conclusion

Currently, IT staff augmentation and managed services model are popular outsourcing strategies for software development. Both the model comes with its own pros and cons. IT  staff augmentation will be a better choice if you want more control and cost reduction whereas managed service is an ideal choice for long-term projects.

Suggested Read:  Most Common Myths About IT Staff Augmentation Services Debunked

[astriiferous-blog]

Can Brown-Bagging My Beverage Safeguard Me Out Of Open Container Expenses In Texas State?

Together with the many several metropolitan areas around the USA, for example, Las Vegas and New Orleans, consuming in public sites are still customarily prohibited. But regardless of the iconic brownish paper tote a lot of men and women would wrap around their beverage before sallying on onto the pavement, the more Terrible newspaper covering honestly does tiny to almost absolutely nothing at all to defend someone from getting ticketed to carry an open container at a public spot at Texas.  The truth is that any technical benefits of camouflaging your overburdened can, in fact, do the job in reverse, alerting police force that you are attempting to eliminate the most obvious. An underage man captured drinking public might likewise be ticketed for young intake. Manifesto open container legislation Texas has offered open container legislation which connects with motor vehicles in addition to public regions.  You may discover more on the topic of open up container expenses at engine vehicles at the DWI/DUI areas of our site.  Broad container fees which don't involve open container law texas fines an automobile, but are targeted toward people spaces like retail and sidewalks organizations. The open container legislation has been dealt with in line from what kind of alcoholic beverages has been demanded. Malt drinks: Beer, lager, malt liquor, porter, and some other brewed or fermented beverage which isn't wine, however, is in between 0.5percent and 15 percent alcohol by volume.

It's traditionally augmented with the addition of dried spirits like brandy.  

Open up beer along with (unfortified) wine legislation In Texas, ingestion or ownership of an open jar of malt drink or unfortified wine has been made to become controlled from local county or city ordinances.  The metropolis of Charlotte, North Carolina has dominated this behavior: portion 15-3 of the town's Code of Ordinances allow it to be prohibited to get an open container of consuming malt wine or beverages from people roads, sidewalks or even railway stage.  Ordinance offenses are comparable to some Class 3 misdemeanor the following. Open up augmented spirits and wine regulation Meanwhile, the ABC Commission's statewide law modulates the ownership of containers of consumption of wine along with liquor/mixed beverages.  N.C.G.S. 18B-300 lays out particular driving law regions in which an individual could own and eat up these kinds of booze.  Somebody who will be of drinking age may hold or absorb almost any sum of wine or liquor inside their home or house.  When it's about somebody else's possessions, the individual has the capability to get for private use and application of up guests to 8 (8) gallons of wine or liquor should they've the house owner's approval and also the land isn't chiefly useful for industrial functions or now available for the general public.  That is likewise permitted in business establishments which possess a"brown-bagging" license throughout the ABC Commission that empowers the company to create their alcoholic beverages.  Fortified spirits and wine can be valid if you're transporting (however, perhaps maybe not swallowing ) it was afterward obtaining it carrying it into a few of those high regions. Broad containers of wine and liquor aren't allowed in regions besides those mentioned previously.  What this means is that they aren't lawful in areas like wide community sidewalks.  One of those reinforced spirits and wine legislation can be a Class 1 misdemeanor in Texas, an even more severe crime than the usual Course 3. Brown tote (non-) necessity for Alcoholic Beverages purchase Whenever it's the case in a few countries, spirits shops must pay alcohol they market; Texas is none of those.  Clerks and clients equally are frequently confused concerning perhaps the patient wrappings on alcoholic beverages purchases really are a valid condition or only shop plan --as an instance, a number of the liquor Control merchants across their country have brownish handbag coverages in place for being a proof purchase note to put away staff members, in addition to being a nod to purchaser solitude. Regardless of this, lots of keep clerks and clients stick to this older myth which brownish purses usually are) demanded with almost any local or state legislation to transmit outside( and two ) the brownish tote reduces offender accountability. Some countries like California bill additional for baggage today, while a few cities and counties possess altogether prohibited using plastic luggage from most shops, for example, Hyde, Currituck and Dare counties in coastal Texas. If you're confronting open up container or alternative alcohol fees, then it's crucial to talk with a knowledgeable unlawful defense lawyer straight off to best shield your rights.  Much misdemeanor crimes could infect someone for many a long time ahead of time along and also possess a considerable effect on their or her or his lifetime.  Arnold & Smith, PLLC can be an aggressive unlawful defense and civil litigation business with many several decades of knowledge in protecting men and women from DWI/DUI as well as additional curricular rates in Charlotte, North Carolina.  Please get in touch with me soon as easy to get a discussion regarding the own case.  

[joshuapaulhooks]

Build A Better Business with Outsourcing

Face it, no matter how talented you are as an entrepreneur, you can’t do it all. While that might seem quite untrue and far from reality (I mean, you may appear like you can make a thousand things happen within minutes at the moment), it isn’t a myth.

Most entrepreneurs these days have great skills and excellent abilities, but their business still isn’t growing, as it should. And yeah, the reason is not far-fetched—they try to do it all. Doing every and any thing as a business owner is no good strategy, and that’s why outsourcing is a must.

In this post by Joshua Paul hooks, you’ll learn how to build a better business with outsourcing and why outsourcing is imperative to business growth. Enjoy!

To start with, outsourcing is not a strategy for large firms or big businesses alone. The advancement of technology today has made it possible for even small businesses to outsource and find professionals to handle their tasks from anywhere in the world.

Starting out with outsourcing could be somewhat demanding, but it sure helps. In the words of David Walsh, a small business outsourcing expert, ‘Small business, augmented by a global pool of human capital, can compete directly with the biggest players in their space, and win”. This goes a long way in showing how much a business can achieve with outsourcing.

There’s hardly any task that cannot be outsourced today. Regardless, not all tasks should be outsourced. That you don’t feel up to a task or you are simply worn out doesn’t mean you must outsource. Certain tasks, like background employment checks or so, might be too sensitive to be outsourced.

Before Outsourcing, Joshua Paul hooks suggests you consider your business and check out your core values and strengths. A product designer, for instance, should not outsource any task relating to its internal talents or design activities. That could cost him a lot of customers.

Tasks that are best outsourced are those that fall under any of the highly skilled, or executive, expertise, highly repetitive, or specialized knowledge categories.

Once you are certain you’re working with the right person, the next thing to do is spell out what you actually want. But while at it, keep in mind that finding the right person depends solely on which performance metric is important for your about-to-be-outsourced task. While some outsourcing providers place a premium on quality, some focus on speed—and that at the expense of quality. It is required that you have a clear and potential conversation with your potential contractor to avoid any future mess.

Now there is a big misconception that only large-scale top dogs need outsourcing, that’s a very wrong Ideology, from large-scale to medium-sized businesses and small-scale businesses, Outsourcing is a practice that should be well-knit into the fabrics of their business. All sizes of business will benefit greatly from outsourcing, in fact as a small-scale business, you gain more from outsourcing, you don’t need to worry about large payrolls and huge IT infrastructure while getting the job done, the rate of productivity will also increase, this will reduce some level of stress on your in house staff, people tend to be more productive when they are under less stress.

Finally, step back and relinquish control: This is where a lot of entrepreneurs miss it. Yours is to state your expectations (and that so clearly) and not to get into every process involved in the task execution. Doing so might turn your members off and limit their abilities on the task.

The whole point of outsourcing is lost if you’re going to be a part of every process. Trust your members and allow them do the job.

Originally Posted: https://joshuapaulhooks.wordpress.com/2021/02/19/build-better-business-with-outsourcing/

[willhiretemp]

Direct Sourcing

In today’s digital age, the global talent market is becoming increasingly dynamic and competitive with 90% of the talent finding their jobs online. A leading industry statistic says that the preferred mode of job search by 65% of this talent, is via a mobile device.

With mobile devices, while the world is virtually at one’s fingertips, smartphones are no longer just a means of communication — they are also THE means of employment search.

It is common knowledge that organizations hire their full-time employees via their Human Resources or Talent acquisition teams which are fully equipped and matured with tools and processes specific to talent sourcing. However, for several years now the hiring of contractors has seen a different approach.

This approach taken by the contingent staffing industry, has for years, been solving a big question – “What if we can acquire contractors directly? Can we really do that?”

This is where Direct Sourcing comes in.

Before we delve deeper into what is direct sourcing, let’s talk about why it is required.

Talent Acquisition has changed its course over the years and more so, this year. While the pandemic conditions have made available a huge pool of talented candidates, it has established what staffing agencies always believed. Companies cannot wait till the last moment to put out job descriptions and job openings and expect the perfect candidate to wondrously appear – proven in the past few months.

Companies need a more strategic approach to hiring, particularly for their contingent or temporary workforce – enters Direct Sourcing.

What is Direct Sourcing in Staffing?

Direct Sourcing is a method of sourcing contract workforce by leveraging the modern-day talent acquisition processes and techniques. Commonly used within the indirect procurement function by the procurement department, typically responsible for acquiring indirect goods and services. In this case, it includes acquiring third party labor or non-employee services through Staff Augmentation. Usually, large enterprises use one of the many names for these programs, namely, contingent labor programs also known as contingent workforce programs or non-employee or 3rd party labor programs, or Flex or On-demand talent programs.

In the staffing industry, it is used as an alternative sourcing approach in addition to traditional staffing suppliers for sourcing talent. While this is not a new process in the talent acquisition industry, contingent programs are a bit backlogged as compared to the HR and HRTech industry which have witnessed major modernization in the past two decades.

Every enterprise has a talent acquisition team that relies on an Applicant Tracking System (ATS) or other HRTech platforms to attract and engage talent directly for direct hire/full-time roles.

Historically, this contract talent or temp labor sourcing was acquired/ managed through staffing agencies that are managed by a program management team internally or outsourced externally to a managed service provider (MSP).

How We, At WillHire, Define Direct Sourcing?

A common analogy we use at WillHire is – “Direct Sourcing is what Netflix is in the entertainment industry”. No contingent program manager likes to be a Blockbuster story while not attempting to modernize their program. Direct Sourcing is a result of applying Design Thinking & Digital transformation to a contingent program.

With these being unprecedented times, Direct Sourcing has become the new normal and accelerated its need multifold for enterprises to build better predictability and bring cost savings into the organization. It gives an ability for enterprises to source temporary labor or contract talent directly thereby reducing the dependency on staffing suppliers.

Clearing Assumptions and Busting Myths – What Does Direct Sourcing Entail?

There are too many assumptions, confusions, and myths around direct sourcing.

Let’s look at the key takeaways for enterprises that clarify what direct sourcing could do for them:

Potential cost-saving: Direct Sourcing has proven to be significantly cheaper than traditional staffing agency markups

Leveraging Employer Branding: To create a great candidate experience and attract good quality talent

Building and Nurturing Private Talent Pools: To fulfill the current and future needs of any organization

Reducing Time to Fill: By using a pre-vetted private talent pool – ready to hire

Talent Diversity: Measuring and managing talent diversity within the contingent labor pool

Now let’s talk about what direct sourcing is not:

It is not a replacement for your existing MSP

It is not an ‘All or Nothing’ method.

It does not fully replace all your traditional staffing suppliers, but rather gives you a way to increase the bar on talent sourcing

It is not a replacement for your VMS (Vendor Management Systems). However, direct sourcing platforms do act as an extension to the existing VMS.

It is not a total talent management (TTM) system or method. It is, however, heavily focused on contingent labor and builds a pathway for TTM.

It is not a co-employment risk, as it aligns into the program similar to existing suppliers.

It is not all about cost savings

To Summarize:

Direct Sourcing is a model to directly attract and engage the contract workforce by leveraging the modern-day talent acquisition techniques which include leveraging your brand, repurposing your traffic from the company’s website and your career pages, generating job seekers from job boards or all possible online channels and generating referrals for the temp roles similar to an employee referral program, and building a private talent pool which you can tap into as and when you need.

There are multiple models within direct sourcing on who and how talent is attracted, screened, or shortlisted and managed. In the entire process, technology plays a major role by ensuring efficiency and not acting as a disruptor in existing programs.

About WillHire

WillHire is an end-to-end direct sourcing technology platform that integrates with the majority of industry Vendor Management Systems. We help large enterprises implement and operate direct sourcing including talent attraction, curation, and managing candidates as an employer of record and payroll provider.

Have questions on direct sourcing and how it is more beneficial than hiring a staffing agency?

Schedule a call with our direct sourcing champion Praneeth Patlola

[acquaintsofttech]

Myths in IT Staff Augmentation: Regain Project Control

Introduction

In the technology landscape, IT staff augmentation has become a key strategy for businesses seeking specialized skills. Yet, there are instances when organizations hear some myths about losing project control while leveraging IT Staff Augmentation services.

This article will highlight the myths and realities surrounding IT staff augmentation for hiring remote developers.

Before heading into the myths, let's understand what is IT Staff Augmentation.

What is IT Staff Augmentation?

IT Staff Augmentation is a hiring process where organizations enable themselves to hire remote developers to meet their requirements. By hiring an augmented tech talent the company can scale their team up or down as per the needs and workload.

This model offers flexibility, access to global talent, and cost-effectiveness. Despite a lot of benefits, there are a lot of myths surrounding remote work and IT staff augmentation.

Let's understand all the Myths & their realities one by one.

5 Myths about IT Staff Augmentation

Myth 1 vs Reality:

Myth:

The IT-augmented staff is less committed as compared to the In-house team.

Reality:

IT staff augmentation team members are highly dedicated and experienced.

The best integration strategies to use while integrating remote teams with in-house team

Develop an equal company culture

Setting up goals & expectations

Provide necessary tools & support

Myth 2 vs Reality:

Myth:

Communication barriers in IT staff augmentation can lead to loss of control.

Reality:

By using proper communication tools, these communication barriers can be easily minimized.

Key communication strategies involve:

Use diversified communication channels

Plan an immediate contact point in case of emergency interaction.

Myth 3 vs Reality:

Myth:

By hiring remote employees, work quality gets compromised.

Reality:

External developers are highly skilled and committed to achieving project excellence quickly.

To ensure high standards:

Implement a thorough onboarding process.

Establish clear reporting and feedback frameworks.

Build collaboration between existing teams and augmented teams for knowledge-sharing & problem-solving.

Myth 4 vs Reality

Myth:

IT Staff augmentation leads to a lack of long-term commitment and stability in projects.

Reality:

IT staff augmentation is project-specific, and many external professionals show a level of commitment towards their work. By, doing this the company can achieve long-term collaboration.

Let's understand how to achieve long-term commitment

Professional Integrity & Reputation:

The IT-augmented staff strives to achieve a strong professional reputation. This motivation helps them to achieve excellence consistently.

Opportunity for extended engagement:

Businesses tend to find a greater value in specific remote workers. The company takes the responsibility of ensuring they achieve a higher engagement by rehiring them. Rehiring an existing remote worker will help them build stable working relationships.

Strategic Resource Planning:

The companies can align their staff augmentation goals by planning long-term project goals, ensuring stability & continuity.

Myth 5 vs Reality

Myth:

The Augmented IT staff negatively impacts the company's organizational culture.

Reality:

If managed properly, distributed teams can integrate well with the company culture. This integration will bring a fresh perspective to enhance the remote working model.

Cultural Onboarding:

Including augmented staff in cultural onboarding sessions helps them understand and embrace the company's values and work ethos.

Promoting Inclusivity:

The organization needs to promote an inclusive work environment. An environment where all team members are treated equally. A friendly company culture will help the members of the team participate in team meetings

Regular Culture exchange:

Regularly conducting team-building activities can help the IT-augmented staff align with the company culture by contributing positively.

Now, let's understand some strategies to retain control.

What are the effective ways to retail project control?

Dedicated Teams that work remotely need to be managed effectively. Remote teams are comprised of IT professionals who are working in different time zones. But, they play a defining role in streamlining the software development process.

Maintaining project control after hiring a remote team needs a high level of efficiency. The below two points will help you regain control over your remote software development project.

Define Project Guidelines & Setting Decision making

To make any software development project a success, it is important to define proper guidelines. This includes defining the project scope, deliverables, timelines, & quality standards.

Well-defined project guidelines will ensure everyone in the team understands their roles & responsibilities clearly.

The company also needs to define the decision-making process clearly.

Regular Monitoring & Performance Evaluation Using KPIs

Implementing a system for regular monitoring & performance evaluation is essential in maintaining control. It is important to develop KPIs to measure the project's objectives.

Let's understand some of the metrics that can help develop the key performance indicators

Project completion rate

Quality of work

Budget compliance

It is necessary to assess the performance of in-house  & remote teams based on the KPIs. Doing a thorough analysis will provide a clear picture of the improvisations needed.

Providing continuous feedback will help the team to move forward in the right direction.

Apart, from this, the company should also use effective communication & project management tools for better project management.

Let's understand in brief some project management tools a company can use to maintain seamless integration.

5 Project Management Tools for seamless integration

Asana:

Asana is a project management tool that helps teams organize & track the progress of their work. It is well known for its user-friendly interface.

Key features:

It gives information about Task assignments & due dates.

It can easily integrate with Slack, Google Drive & Dropbox.

Trello:

Trello uses a card-based system that great for visual task management. It can be easily customized & is ideal for small projects and teams that use simple interfaces.

Key features

It uses boards, lists, and cards to organize & prioritize projects in the most rewarding way.

It can easily integrate with GitHub, Evernote & Google Drive.

Jira:

It is mainly used by software developers. Jira is used for bug tracking, issue tracking & operational project management. Jira is known as one of the most agile project management tools.

Key features

It provides customizable scrum boards & Kanban boards for managing the project.

It can help in achieving seamless integration with an Atlassian product like Confluence.

Microsoft Project

Microsoft Project is a powerful tool for complex project planning & management. It offers detailed project management capabilities and is best suited for larger organizations with experienced project managers.

Key features

It uses Gantt charts.

The tool can help in project scheduling & resource management.

It can easily integrate with Microsoft Office applications.

Monday(.)com

Monday(.)com is a project management tool known for its ease of use & ability to adapt to various project types. It's suitable for both small teams and large enterprises.

It provides features of customizable workflows, time tracking & automated notifications.

It can integrate with various tools like Google Drive, Slack & Zoom.

Now, let's understand some of the communication tools that can help in managing remote projects smoothly.

By using any of the above project management tools, the company can easily keep track of the project. Using the right tools will help them analyze the progress of the project i.e., goals achieved, KPIs met or not, etc.

5 Communication Tools for Seamless Integration

Having your toolkit flooded with the best communication tools can help in achieving seamless project management.

Let's understand the best communication tools you can use to maintain control over your project.

Slack:

Slack is a popular messaging app designed for team collaboration. Slack is known for its user-friendly interface & ability to organize conversations into channels.

Key features

It provides a feature for direct messaging & group chats.

It helps in organizing teams or topics and helps in receiving & sharing files.

It can easily integrated with Google Drive & Asana.

Zoom:

Zoom is a popular video conferencing tool that gained popularity for its quality video calling. It is useful for both small meetings & large webinars.

It provides a feature of High-definition video and audio conferencing.

It can help in screen sharing, virtual backgrounds, and breakout rooms for smaller discussions.

Microsoft Teams:

Being a part of the Microsoft 365 suite, Teams is an effective communication & collaboration platform.

It provides a feature for chats & threaded conversations.

Enables the user to do video and audio conferencing.

Zoom can easily integrate with Microsoft Office applications.

It also allows to storage of files and documents.

Google Meet:

Google Meet is a video communication service provided by Google.

It provides a feature of secure video meetings.

Provides easy access to web tools, without the need to download the application.

Enables the feature of screen-sharing & generates real-time captions.

It can easily integrate with Google Calendar.

Cisco Webex:

Cisco Webex is a  communication tool known for its enterprise-grade security & reliability. The tool is suitable for both internal team meetings & external meetings with clients & stakeholders.

It allows HD video & audio conferencing

It provides end-to-end encryption for security.

How Acquaint Softtech can help in IT Staff Augmentation?

Acquaint Softtech is a software development company specializing in IT Staff Augmentation Services and custom software development. We are a team of experts having 15+ years of industry experience in helping our clients build custom software. We can help your organization hire remote developers that meet your requirements.

Wrapping Up!

Debunking myths with realities shows that control in IT staff augmentation is not compromised. By using clear communication & strategic integration the organizations can reap numerous benefits. By, using IT staff augmentation the organization can regain the lost control over project management.

[iconem]

Digital restoration: Engaging experts and the public

In the third and final part of our interview with Adam Lowe, learn about what the Factum Foundation can study through scanning cultural heritage and sharing it with the public. If you missed our earlier posts, you can still read part one and part two.

How you can foster the communication of how crucial it is to make reproductions in a world that depreciates fakes?

The issues of conservation and the issue of restoration are very important to helping preserve things. One of the things that is emerging is the whole field of digital restoration. On the files we can actually inspect, look at, share and discuss with many experts, and try out different ways to conserve in a virtual space without even touching the original. The study separate from the physical content is extremely important. We’ve done a project in the Sala Bologna in the Vatican, making a digital restoration of one of the maps that covers the walls and working with experts from Bologna University: you can do many things without ever touching the object. You can also use high resolution digital data to monitor the conditions of the object. For example, we recorded Tutankhamun’s tomb in 2009 and we’re actually able to check how much the tomb has changed in the time between then and now and we can supply that information to the conservators. So, sharing information and pulling together expertise is the way technology will really help progress restoration. We must also remember that every generation of restorers is always critical of the previous generation of restorers, so future generations will be critical of the work that has been done now. The more evidence there is to demonstrate how something looked like before our restoration, the better. We’re now working with the National Gallery in London and with other museums to digitally record paintings before and during restoration, to record them in high resolution, in colour, and in 3D. It’s shocking how only in the last few years people started recording surface information, for me it is in those very surface layers that forensic evidence lies.

A depth plan map created using data collected through non-contact technologies. Credit: The Factum Foundation

Is the experience of a surface layer enough or we should show and share more of this scientific work with the public?

High resolution recording is able to result also in augmented and virtual reality that the public may like very much. We’ve worked a lot reimagining the Ultima Cena of Leonardo or the Nozze di Cana of Veronese, imaging multiple time lapse on the facsimile. All this can appeal very much to audiences and makes the time people think about an object and experience it longer. What I hope is that copies and facsimiles could provoke a new interest, in the object itself but also in the technologies used to record it and to display it. We’re at the beginning of an explosion of the reinterpreting of high resolution data.

Technology is not something in opposition with art or culture, this idea is a myth partly triggered by the way we’re educated, by the way arts and humanities have always been divided from science, that made in some way technology to be seen in opposition with manual skills. I think actually that the reverse is true and we can see it with emerging technologies. Thanks to them indeed, we see materials differently and how things are transformed and mediated. I think all this is leading to a whole explosion of new creative skills both physical and virtual: for me, the interest lies more in the physical domain, while for many others the interest is in the virtual one. In any case, it is in that crossover between the two domains that something exciting is happening.

Recording cultural heritage in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Credit: The Factum Foundation

Do you agree that a public aware of your work and technology is a public more empowered and engaged?

Yes! The more the public understands how difficult it is to protect and preserve something, the more they will understand that they're playing a role in modifying the context in which we are seeing things. Just think about the place where the painting le Nozze di Cana of Veronese is hanging: it is in the same exhibition room as the Mona Lisa in the Louvre in Paris. Every day thousands of people are taking pictures of the Mona Lisa and you can’t even enjoy that painting. For the Fondazione Giorgio Cini, we made a copy of that masterpiece [le Nozze di Cana] to be hung in its original place, in the church of San Giorgio Maggiore in Venice. In its original environment the painting gives a more authentic experience: hanging in the environment it was painted for, at the right height, without a frame, illuminated by the correct light, in the building that Palladio designed. In that context, nearly everyone will agree that the experience to see the painting there is more authentic and more thought provoking.

Thank you Adam Lowe for taking the time to speak with us and for sharing your thoughts on the Factum Foundation, cultural heritage, and conservation in the digital age. To learn more about the Factum Foundation, visit their website, follow them on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram, or watch videos of their team and technology at work on Vimeo.

Main photo: Staff members construct a facsimile of an Assyrian Lamassu from Ashurnasirpal II’s palace throne room. All photos courtesy of the Factum Foundation.

[lauramalchowblog]

Top 3 Myths About Digital Identity in Healthcare

By GUS MALEZIS

Healthcare is in the midst of a digital transformation, creating information security, compliance, and workflow challenges. The engagement of an increasingly decentralized workforce along with anytime anyplace healthcare and the proliferation of cloud-based applications, databases, and mobile devices have now (or soon will have) eroded the once well-defined network perimeter.

The healthcare industry remains one of the most highly targeted for cyber-attacks – a recent report from Beazley Breach Insights showed that, 41 percent of all breaches in 2018 occurred in the healthcare sector. This means that, going forward, healthcare organizations must pay particular attention to cybersecurity and do so without restricting or compromising access to the systems and services providers and patients are now using and may do in the future. A successful cybersecurity plan requires these organizations to focus on establishing and managing trusted digital identities for all users, applications, and devices throughout the entire extended digital healthcare enterprise – from the hospital, to the cloud, and beyond.

Why are modern hackers targeting healthcare? Because they can, and they have the opportunity to do so! Hackers also know the value of the data stored within provider systems. Today, medical records fetch up to ten times more money on the dark web than the average credit card.  

Healthcare IT professionals are scrambling to shore up security and ensure system availability while supporting the complex workflows of their providers. However, the rapid pace of healthcare’s digital transformation along with the rapid growth of service locations and the integration of cloud apps and services creates an inescapable challenge.

In our new digital world, we see a series of “planes” that are expanding rapidly: 

Today’s healthcare systems, and those of the future, have a much more extensive and expansive population of providers – both formal employees as well as visiting staff, interns and locum tenens – all of whom require access to IT systems and data if they are to be productive and efficient. 

Providers are now operating from multiple locations, more than ever.  

Patients are requiring more digital services – with access to their chart, their physician, scheduling and a plethora of other services, all from the convenience of their smartphone, or browser – from any location and at any time. 

The number of devices and applications – both on-premises and in cloud – is exploding.  Nursing station systems are now augmented by mobile systems, smartphones and tablets. 

Healthcare organizations must now protect privacy across a complex network of people, technology and information – and while there are other planes to consider, those noted above are enough to send the average HIT architect, CIO and CISO into…a dark room. 

In this new environment, digital identity is critical and an opportunity to leapfrog. Yet common myths persist. To help healthcare organizations build out an architecture of trust, let’s break down some common misperceptions about digital identity and better understand what digital identity is – and what it isn’t. 

Myth #1: You have a trusted digital ID  

Fact: No, you do not have a trusted Digital ID, possibly with one exception.   Digital identities may seem like a simple concept, yet ask most people what their digital identity is, and they’ll likely ponder the question, and perhaps offer their email, a device, or an IP address – and that’s just one piece of a much larger puzzle. Yet none of these are verified or trustworthy identities. How do you really know if the person behind that device or email is who they say they are? How do they prove it? 

The one exception would perhaps be your bank client number. Before a bank will offer you an account or a credit card they will collect a set of data on your person, which will then be used to verify your identity. Only when the bank is satisfied of your identity will they provide you with a client number – your trusted Digital Identity – usable for that institution, and that only. So, if you have a bank account – and most of us do – you do have a trusted digital ID, yet it is strictly used for that bank and not beyond. So, while you may have several IDs unless you’ve been identity proofed for EPCS, or some government institution, you do NOT have a usable trusted digital ID. 

In our digital age, we must trust a digital identity – much like we trust a driver’s license or passport in the physical world. “Trust” means a reliable way to validate digital identities across disparate devices and channels. Establishing this trust requires creating trusted digital identities and then maintaining, modifying, and monitoring them as needed. Key components include onboarding and provisioning, dynamic access management based on changing roles, attributes and permissions of each trusted identity, and off-boarding and de-provisioning when an identity is no longer part of the organization.  

A digital ID is not something that just exists; it must be created with trust and other attributes, must be managed, protected, secured, and shared in the appropriate conditions. It is this trusted digital identity that will be your gateway of simple efficient access to our ever-expanding digital universe. 

Myth #2: Multi-factor Authentication is complicated, Will Take More Time  

Fact: The next generation of 2FA and MFA are virtually invisible.  The idea of using multi-factor authentication (MFA) isn’t new. Banking has successfully incorporated identity-proofing by using multiple layers of quality verification. If you swipe your bank card at the ATM and then enter a pin or log into a website, for example, that sends a numeric code to your phone to access an account, and that is MFA in action. Ok., it’s an additional step or two or more – but it elevates security and trust and that’s a great outcome. Yes, it takes some extra clicks and that we should look to compress, optimize and eliminate if possible. Yet Security and convenience can co-exist. 

With two-factor authentication, healthcare organizations can combat phishing attacks and safeguard patients and their electronic health records (EHR). Most cyberattacks are preventable by using a good two-factor authentication. By “good” we are probably moving away from SMS as the token presentation, knowing that this has become a relative insecure way of carrying the token, and looking at other methods such as secure token apps or fobs. Still, why are only 45% of organizations using it? Some hospitals fear inconvenience to their clinical workflows, but this concern is misplaced – multifactor authentication solutions can still be secure and convenient without compromising provider productivity. New approaches to MFA, purpose-built for healthcare, now leverage Bluetooth, biometrics, smartphone technology and other innovative technologies to eliminate any extra steps that may frustrate clinicians. These solutions are seamless and invisible and eliminate any potential to create inefficiency, disrupt workflow, or contribute to physician burnout.  

New approaches to MFA, purpose-built for healthcare, now deliver “skip-2nd factor” or “Hands-Free 2nd Factor Authentication” and do so by leveraging Bluetooth, biometrics, smartphone technology and other innovative technologies to eliminate any extra steps that may frustrate clinicians. These solutions are seamless and invisible and eliminate any potential to create inefficiency, disrupt workflow, or contribute to physician burnout. 

Myth #3: The U.S. is Unlikely to Adopt A National Digital ID Very Soon  

Fact: In the US we are rapidly progressing towards a national trusted Digital ID.  

Fact: Other countries around the world already have trusted Digital ID systems. 

Government officials are now developing a solution for digital patient and physician identification. This past year, the U.S. House of Representatives voted to repeal a 21-year ban on funding for a national patient identifier – a number or code that would be assigned to every person, similar to Social Security numbers.  

A unique patient identifier would link health and identity to avoid mix-ups between, for example, patients and physicians with the same name. Again, this doesn’t solve healthcare’s cybersecurity challenges on its own. And implementation certainly won’t happen overnight. Policymakers must first consider the best tools to use, such as biometric technologies. Many potential solutions also face resistance and skepticism from privacy advocates. Getting a program in place could take years.  

Meantime, healthcare organizations can’t afford to wait. As the industry continues its shift to digital and increasingly becomes more connected, the challenges only grow. Protection must advance apace with technology. Digital identity will play a crucial role in protecting organizations, but solutions must be convenient, flexible, and purpose-built to meet the unique, demanding, constantly changing security, compliance, and workflow challenges of the modern healthcare enterprise.  

Gus Malezis is the President and Chief Executive Officer of Imprivata, where he continues his strong track record of delivering growth and innovation for leading technology and security companies such as Tripwire, McAfee, and 3Com

The post Top 3 Myths About Digital Identity in Healthcare appeared first on The Health Care Blog.

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[kristinsimmons]

Top 3 Myths About Digital Identity in Healthcare

By GUS MALEZIS

Healthcare is in the midst of a digital transformation, creating information security, compliance, and workflow challenges. The engagement of an increasingly decentralized workforce along with anytime anyplace healthcare and the proliferation of cloud-based applications, databases, and mobile devices have now (or soon will have) eroded the once well-defined network perimeter.

The healthcare industry remains one of the most highly targeted for cyber-attacks – a recent report from Beazley Breach Insights showed that, 41 percent of all breaches in 2018 occurred in the healthcare sector. This means that, going forward, healthcare organizations must pay particular attention to cybersecurity and do so without restricting or compromising access to the systems and services providers and patients are now using and may do in the future. A successful cybersecurity plan requires these organizations to focus on establishing and managing trusted digital identities for all users, applications, and devices throughout the entire extended digital healthcare enterprise – from the hospital, to the cloud, and beyond.

Why are modern hackers targeting healthcare? Because they can, and they have the opportunity to do so! Hackers also know the value of the data stored within provider systems. Today, medical records fetch up to ten times more money on the dark web than the average credit card.  

Healthcare IT professionals are scrambling to shore up security and ensure system availability while supporting the complex workflows of their providers. However, the rapid pace of healthcare’s digital transformation along with the rapid growth of service locations and the integration of cloud apps and services creates an inescapable challenge.

In our new digital world, we see a series of “planes” that are expanding rapidly: 

Today’s healthcare systems, and those of the future, have a much more extensive and expansive population of providers – both formal employees as well as visiting staff, interns and locum tenens – all of whom require access to IT systems and data if they are to be productive and efficient. 

Providers are now operating from multiple locations, more than ever.  

Patients are requiring more digital services – with access to their chart, their physician, scheduling and a plethora of other services, all from the convenience of their smartphone, or browser – from any location and at any time. 

The number of devices and applications – both on-premises and in cloud – is exploding.  Nursing station systems are now augmented by mobile systems, smartphones and tablets. 

Healthcare organizations must now protect privacy across a complex network of people, technology and information – and while there are other planes to consider, those noted above are enough to send the average HIT architect, CIO and CISO into…a dark room. 

In this new environment, digital identity is critical and an opportunity to leapfrog. Yet common myths persist. To help healthcare organizations build out an architecture of trust, let’s break down some common misperceptions about digital identity and better understand what digital identity is – and what it isn’t. 

Myth #1: You have a trusted digital ID  

Fact: No, you do not have a trusted Digital ID, possibly with one exception.   Digital identities may seem like a simple concept, yet ask most people what their digital identity is, and they’ll likely ponder the question, and perhaps offer their email, a device, or an IP address – and that’s just one piece of a much larger puzzle. Yet none of these are verified or trustworthy identities. How do you really know if the person behind that device or email is who they say they are? How do they prove it? 

The one exception would perhaps be your bank client number. Before a bank will offer you an account or a credit card they will collect a set of data on your person, which will then be used to verify your identity. Only when the bank is satisfied of your identity will they provide you with a client number – your trusted Digital Identity – usable for that institution, and that only. So, if you have a bank account – and most of us do – you do have a trusted digital ID, yet it is strictly used for that bank and not beyond. So, while you may have several IDs unless you’ve been identity proofed for EPCS, or some government institution, you do NOT have a usable trusted digital ID. 

In our digital age, we must trust a digital identity – much like we trust a driver’s license or passport in the physical world. “Trust” means a reliable way to validate digital identities across disparate devices and channels. Establishing this trust requires creating trusted digital identities and then maintaining, modifying, and monitoring them as needed. Key components include onboarding and provisioning, dynamic access management based on changing roles, attributes and permissions of each trusted identity, and off-boarding and de-provisioning when an identity is no longer part of the organization.  

A digital ID is not something that just exists; it must be created with trust and other attributes, must be managed, protected, secured, and shared in the appropriate conditions. It is this trusted digital identity that will be your gateway of simple efficient access to our ever-expanding digital universe. 

Myth #2: Multi-factor Authentication is complicated, Will Take More Time  

Fact: The next generation of 2FA and MFA are virtually invisible.  The idea of using multi-factor authentication (MFA) isn’t new. Banking has successfully incorporated identity-proofing by using multiple layers of quality verification. If you swipe your bank card at the ATM and then enter a pin or log into a website, for example, that sends a numeric code to your phone to access an account, and that is MFA in action. Ok., it’s an additional step or two or more – but it elevates security and trust and that’s a great outcome. Yes, it takes some extra clicks and that we should look to compress, optimize and eliminate if possible. Yet Security and convenience can co-exist. 

With two-factor authentication, healthcare organizations can combat phishing attacks and safeguard patients and their electronic health records (EHR). Most cyberattacks are preventable by using a good two-factor authentication. By “good” we are probably moving away from SMS as the token presentation, knowing that this has become a relative insecure way of carrying the token, and looking at other methods such as secure token apps or fobs. Still, why are only 45% of organizations using it? Some hospitals fear inconvenience to their clinical workflows, but this concern is misplaced – multifactor authentication solutions can still be secure and convenient without compromising provider productivity. New approaches to MFA, purpose-built for healthcare, now leverage Bluetooth, biometrics, smartphone technology and other innovative technologies to eliminate any extra steps that may frustrate clinicians. These solutions are seamless and invisible and eliminate any potential to create inefficiency, disrupt workflow, or contribute to physician burnout.  

New approaches to MFA, purpose-built for healthcare, now deliver “skip-2nd factor” or “Hands-Free 2nd Factor Authentication” and do so by leveraging Bluetooth, biometrics, smartphone technology and other innovative technologies to eliminate any extra steps that may frustrate clinicians. These solutions are seamless and invisible and eliminate any potential to create inefficiency, disrupt workflow, or contribute to physician burnout. 

Myth #3: The U.S. is Unlikely to Adopt A National Digital ID Very Soon  

Fact: In the US we are rapidly progressing towards a national trusted Digital ID.  

Fact: Other countries around the world already have trusted Digital ID systems. 

Government officials are now developing a solution for digital patient and physician identification. This past year, the U.S. House of Representatives voted to repeal a 21-year ban on funding for a national patient identifier – a number or code that would be assigned to every person, similar to Social Security numbers.  

A unique patient identifier would link health and identity to avoid mix-ups between, for example, patients and physicians with the same name. Again, this doesn’t solve healthcare’s cybersecurity challenges on its own. And implementation certainly won’t happen overnight. Policymakers must first consider the best tools to use, such as biometric technologies. Many potential solutions also face resistance and skepticism from privacy advocates. Getting a program in place could take years.  

Meantime, healthcare organizations can’t afford to wait. As the industry continues its shift to digital and increasingly becomes more connected, the challenges only grow. Protection must advance apace with technology. Digital identity will play a crucial role in protecting organizations, but solutions must be convenient, flexible, and purpose-built to meet the unique, demanding, constantly changing security, compliance, and workflow challenges of the modern healthcare enterprise.  

Gus Malezis is the President and Chief Executive Officer of Imprivata, where he continues his strong track record of delivering growth and innovation for leading technology and security companies such as Tripwire, McAfee, and 3Com

The post Top 3 Myths About Digital Identity in Healthcare appeared first on The Health Care Blog.

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