Security and how to manage bring-your-own-device (BYOD) initiatives top the concerns of US healthcare organisation, according to a report by Klas Research. The report was based on interviews with 105 organisations about their use of mobile technology.

The report says organisations are concerned about the type of data being accessed, where it is stored and how it can be protected, not least because of HIPAA regulations in the US which maintain patient privacy by restricting how their data is shared over communications networks.

The main solutions adopted by organisations to combat such concerns are virtualisation, encryption and mobile device management applications, says the report.

In addition, report author Eric Westerlind told Information Week that BYOD was a major source of interest among those interviewed. According to the report, 84 percent already include BYOD in their daily routines.  There is a momentum behind BYOD among doctors but healthcare organisations worry about how to secure such devices and ensure they are HIPAA compliant. “The last thing they want to be is the guy on the front of the newspaper,” said Westerlind