A retirement guide for aging healthcare technology

We live in a world where we obsess over the latest advanced healthcare technology, whether real or vaporware. However, in order to have an orderly digital transformation, there must be “retirement guidance” for tech that has become long in the tooth.  

In fact, many would argue that the retirement process can be much more onerous than the deployment of new tech. In reality, the two processes are co-joined unless the new tech is totally unique and operates in isolation.  

So, not unlike elderly Boomer career decisions, technology retirement planning is critical to ensure that “out with the old and in with the new” does not wreak havoc on the enterprise.  

History tells us that retiring healthcare technology is a complex process with significant implications for patient care, workflow, operational efficiency, and even burnout prevention.  

Key considerations for your healthcare technology retirement plan

The end-of-life aspects of lifecycle and maintenance costs 

•  Obsolescence: Technology, especially hardware and software in healthcare, has a finite lifespan. Retiring aging systems may be necessary as they become difficult or expensive to maintain, incompatible with newer technologies, or no longer supported by vendors
• Cost-benefit analysis: Maintaining outdated technology often requires increasing investment in repairs and workarounds, which might outweigh the costs of upgrading or replacing systems. 
• Many legacy platforms and devices require expensive and complicated retrofitting of advanced technologies, especially those related to AI and cybersecurity.

Are the aging technologies compliance and security risks? 

• Security Vulnerabilities: Older systems are more vulnerable to cyberattacks and data breaches, which are critical concerns given the sensitivity of healthcare data. Retiring outdated technology helps ensure that healthcare organizations meet modern security standards and regulatory requirements like HIPAA
• Compliance: Regulatory bodies may require the use of up-to-date systems to ensure patient data protection and care quality. Retiring obsolete technology is essential for staying compliant with these laws. 

Will the new play well with the remaining old? 

• Interoperable integration challenges: New technology deployment is littered with broken promises about how technologies do or do not play well together. In addition, there are the complexities of an M&A scenario where technology retirement may involve numerous legacy systems that a traditional stack audit may not pick up
• Data migration or data retirement: Under the best of circumstances in retiring old systems, data migration can be a challenge. Ensuring that historical patient records and operational data are preserved and accessible in new systems is critical. But what may be even more critical is retiring stale data that has questionable current insight. We live in a world of data hoarding in the expectation that AI will suddenly make it insightful in years to come.  

To what extent will there be empirical patient outcomes and financial improvement? 

• Improved patient care: Newer technologies typically offer more advanced features, such as AI-driven diagnostics, telemedicine capabilities, or improved data analytics, which can lead to better patient outcomes
• Automation and efficiency: Retiring legacy systems can streamline operations, reducing the administrative burden on healthcare providers and freeing up resources for more patient-centric activities.

Are we prepared for the onboarding implications across and outside the enterprise? 

• Learning curve: Introducing new systems often requires extensive staff training beyond vendor videos. This can initially slow down workflows, which in healthcare can be more dramatic than in other industries.  
• Many technologies have metastasized across the enterprise and to outside partners. What are the unexpected cobblestone effects of pulling the plug on the aged?
• User resistance: Some healthcare staff may resist the change due to familiarity with older systems, so involving end-users early in the transition process is essential to ensure smooth adoption. 

Is there a safe retirement home for this stuff? 

• E-waste: Retiring hardware presents environmental challenges due to the disposal of electronic waste. Organizations must ensure responsible recycling and disposal methods to minimize environmental impact. 

Having a healthcare technology retirement plan is not just about replacing outdated systems—it involves careful planning around cost, compliance, patient care, and operational efficiency. Organizations need to assess the timing of technology retirement, ensuring they balance innovation with stability in healthcare delivery.