Global healthcare organizations are increasingly spending on cloud computing that includes services such as infrastructure, software, platform and private, public and hybrid clouds. Persistent Market Research reported that the popularity of wireless, cloud technologies and large investments by IT suppliers are responsible for this increase in use of cloud computing in the global health care market.
The global healthcare cloud computing market is mostly trending in the use of mobile devices in order to deliver healthcare services. The other cloud based healthcare applications include radiology information systems, electronic medical records, pharmacy information systems, laboratory information systems and picture archiving and communication systems.
According to reports, there are still many challenges to overcome in cloud computing for healthcare organizations. Lack of privacy, security of patients and the high cost of clinical information systems are some of the factors that restrain the global healthcare market from fully accepting cloud computing. Moreover, the interoperability issues have a negative effect on the growth of the market.
Advantages of cloud computing
In order to fully understand the advantages of cloud computing, it is essential to know what the cloud is. Cloud is a wide collection of interconnected computers that provide broad network access, on-demand service, measured service, rapid elasticity and resource pooling. Due to these factors, cloud computing delivers benefits far greater to the traditional information systems.
Users are free to access their personal data along with other services with the help of cloud computing no matter where they are. Thus, cloud computing serves as storage medium for the complete database along with its regular maintenance.In this way, the burden shifts to the cloud service provider to maintaining the complex Health Information Technology systems.
Healthcare cloud revolution
Cloud is providing the best method of reducing technology and treatment costs in healthcare. Various states and municipalities are developing cloud based health information exchanges that will allow an easy exchange of information between hospitals, clinics, physicians and health systems.
Incorporating enhanced connectivity solutions for healthcare IT can significantly improve the reliability and speed of these exchanges, ensuring that medical professionals have instant access to critical data. This advancement is crucial for supporting real-time decision-making in patient care and operational efficiency.
Many service providers and vendors are building cloud HIE solutions. The commercial cloud vendors such as Oracle, Amazon and IBM have pharma-specific clinical research cloud offered with the aim to develop new drugs and lower the production costs. The concept of HIE will improve patient care through efficient and timely information sharing. Physicians and hospitals now use cloud based medical records and image archiving services.
Measures to keep the data safe
Since, all healthcare organizations are comfortable using cloud services, necessary steps must be taken to keep the data safe, as this familiarity can lead to complacency. This can harm the reputation of the organization. The CIO’s and other business counterparts must work effectively with each other so that the cloud serves as the best organizational and technological solution to various problems.
Survey analysis
Accordingto the 2014 HIMSS analytics cloud survey, around 83% of one hundred fifty respondents are currently using one or the other cloud services while 9% are still planning to use cloud in the future and only 6% do not plan trying cloud services at all. It has also been observed that by 2017, $5.4 billion will be used worldwide on cloud services by several healthcare organizations. As per the cloud adoption and risk report 2Q, Healthcare enterprises use an average 1,180 cloud services.While using cloud services, various healthcare organizations must ensure that the providers are following HIPAA regulations.
Cloud computing is making its way in every field including healthcare and is available at nominal costs with effective use of resources. By 2022, global healthcare organizations are expected to increase their expenditure on cloud computing services by almost 20%.
