Driving Success by Future-proofing Healthcare Cloud Solutions

The cloud stores all healthcare organizations’ clinical and operational data on remote servers accessed through the internet. As a result, the staff at a hospital or clinic can use cloud-based Software for their day-to-day operations without the Software having to be installed on computers kept on-premises. This eliminates the need for hospitals to invest in expensive hardware and supporting IT infrastructure, as the backend for the Software would be hosted on remote servers.  

This cloud application would enable hospitals and clinics to use the latest applications without worrying about storing any data on-site. The data stored can be accessed securely by authorized personnel, and its backup can be created easily. The adoption of cloud technologies in healthcare is seen as a growing necessity in the face of increasing technology penetration.

Reduced Cost of Data Storage: Hospitals won’t need to invest in dedicated hardware or supporting IT infrastructure if they opt for cloud-based applications. The data will be stored and processed remotely and accessed over the internet through secure portals.  

Business Continuity: In the vent of natural disasters or technical failures, the operational data would remain safely on remote servers unharmed. Moreover, regulations stipulate the requirement of backups and redundancies of this data, ensuring business continuity in unforeseen disasters.   

Improved Physician Collaboration: The cloud offers a centralized data repository that can be accessed securely from anywhere. This enables multiple physicians to view that data simultaneously and collaborate better on patient care.  

Scalability: The cloud storage available can be scaled up or down depending on the requirement. Scaling up or down is achievable in the cloud without any investment in physical hardware and at a lowered cost.  

Streamlined Integration: A cloud-based EHR software makes integrating it simpler and more convenient with other healthcare software.   

Improved Data Security: A cloud-based database for healthcare information provides better data security than an on-premises database. It features a wide range of security measures and also prevents data leakage.  

Hospitals usually use the Software as a service (SaaS) service model. In this, there is readily-usable Software for use in day-to-day operations. The advantage of the SaaS model is that the Software doesn’t need to be installed on computers kept on-premises at the hospital. Instead, it is hosted from the cloud, where the authorized hospital staff access it using secure credentials. Additionally, the data and the backends associated with this Software are all managed by the cloud software vendor, eliminating the need for hospitals to invest in additional IT infrastructure.   

Some of the commonly used cloud-based Software used at hospitals could include –     

1. Cloud-based EHR   
2. Telehealth platform  
3. Medical coding and billing software  
4. Appointment Management  
5. Hospital management  

Cloud computing in healthcare is the practice of using remote servers that are accessed over the internet. The data on operation, clinical care, and others are stored on these servers and accessed remotely using secure portals and login credentials. In addition to storing patient and operational data, the cloud services also process and manage the data. Data processing reveals vital insights that help clinicians make informed decisions.  

Cloud technologies enable healthcare organizations to use and operate Software that need not be stored on-premises. The software applications, and all the data generated by their usage, are safely stored on remote servers. The authorized staff can access this data securely through portals using login credentials.   

The types of healthcare software facilitated by cloud computing include electronic medical records, patient portals, data analytics, clinical management, billing and coding, and so forth. Healthcare organizations can use cloud-based Software for these purposes without installing any on computers, or servers kept on premises.  

The different models of cloud computing in healthcare are –   

• Distribution Model  
• Deployment Model  

These are further subdivided as follows –   

Distribution models –   

1. Software-as-a-Service (SaaS): SaaS offers Software accessed over the internet and not managed by the healthcare organization. The vendor manages it. This removes the burden of maintaining the application as the service providers dodo.  
2. Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS): IaaS provides a means of obtaining computing capabilities like storage, processing, networking, and servers on an ad hoc basis. The organization availing of IaaS needs to pay only for what they use.   
3. Platform-as-a-Service (SaaS): PaaS offers a cloud-based ecosystem for users to build and deliver software applications without needing a dedicated IDE (Integrated Development Environment). 

Deployment Model –   

1. Public Cloud: This is open for everyone to access. As a result, it is less secure and used to provide cloud infrastructure services to the general population.  
2. Private Cloud: It is used for a single customer and is inaccessible to outsiders. Only the people within an organization or a group can access this.  
3. Hybrid Cloud: It is a mix of public and private clouds. It allows customers to host a software application safely and privately through a proprietary software layer. In short, it combines the advantages of a public and private cloud.  
4. Community Cloud: This allows cloud infrastructure and services to be shared among organizations. 

Cloud computing provides the following advantages for hospitals –   

1. Cost: Cloud computing offers a subscription model for using computing capabilities like data storage, processing, networks, etc. So, hospitals using cloud computing can avoid spending on conventional IT infrastructure.  
2. Data Security: Cloud services make it easier to ensure the safety, privacy, and integrity of sensitive medical information. By implementing access controls, audit trails, and comprehensive digital security, cloud services can better help hospitals comply with regulations like HIPAA.  
3. Flexibility: The cloud offers the option of increasing or decreasing the number of computing abilities as per necessity. In other words, a hospital using cloud computing services can avail of more storage and processing or reduce existing storage and processing capabilities without any hardware investment.   
4. Better Patient Engagement: A cloud-based application allows clinicians to provide patients with round-the-clock access to their medical information. This boosts doctor-patient engagement and empowers patients to participate in their care better.    
5. Adoption of Novel Technologies: Artificial intelligence and machine learning growth has transformed industries. Cloud computing services enable hospitals to adopt such technologies seamlessly without too much additional investment.  

Cloud computing in healthcare uses remote servers through the internet for storing, managing, and processing medical data. The use of cloud technology services by organizations in the healthcare industry can be termed healthcare cloud computing.  

Cloud computing has many applications in healthcare –   

Healthcare information systems  

Cloud-based healthcare information systems (HIS) enable medical organizations to streamline and consolidate operational data management. This facilitates efficiency in operations, patient care improvement, better human resources management, greater transparency, and better compliance.  

Practice Management  

Providers can use cloud-based applications to manage their practice more efficiently without investing too much in expensive hardware and IT capabilities.  

Drug Discovery  

Cloud computing has helped to optimize the process of drug discovery significantly. Cloud services help researchers process large amounts of data and sift through numerous chemical structures to arrive at a desirable combination for an effective drug.  

Data Analytics  

When healthcare organizations can maintain all of their operational and clinical data on a single repository, it helps assess the data better. This assessment reveals important insights that help both clinicians, as well as medical executives make informed decisions.  

Patient Data  

A cloud-based software for patients’ medical records streamlines the management and access to patients’ clinical information. Having stored on a cloud, multiple providers can access the records simultaneously and better collaborate their efforts. As a result, there is a greater impact on integrated care.  

Hospitals use cloud-based software applications to run their day-to-day operations. This includes appointment management, insurance verification, patient admissions, care management, tests, scans, inventory management, human resources management, billing, claims, and so forth. Hospitals can use cloud-based applications for all of these activities.  

Using cloud-hosted Software facilitates seamless access to required data by authorized personnel only. This prevents investing in physical servers, storage, and IT infrastructure. This way, hospitals reduce their overhead, optimize their operations, and better serve their stakeholders.