Cloud computing impacts both providers and patients by cutting down expenses while improving care quality. Though it can be hard to distinguish the benefits of cloud computing from those of other technologies it enables, the five benefits that are most often mentioned by our customers.
The main issue with the traditional approach of on-site hosting is that it creates silos, as access is often restricted to specific hardware or virtual machines. This prevents cross-department collaboration and access for remote employees, which ultimately prevents healthcare providers from getting a holistic view of patients. So, when you switch to cloud, make sure that you’re breaking down these silos at the same time by integrating your various cloud solutions as a full, patient-centric tech stack.
With cloud computing services, you pay for the resources you use. Cloud service providers are fully responsible for administration, maintenance, and availability, so your healthcare organization can focus on patient care instead of worrying about setup and hardware management. After all, not every clinic has an IT department.
Cloud service providers make sure the technology they use is top-notch. Plus, they follow foolproof security practices to protect your data from cyberattacks and subsequent money loss. This is an obvious advantage in the highly competitive and regulated healthcare industry, where the cost of a single data breach is huge, as you might have about what happened in AIIMS Delhi.
Any issues identified & fixed or improvements or customization can be made available quickly instead of installing or updating to individual clinics/ hospitals.
Infrastructure efficiency, workflow optimization, better patient management, and other indirect benefits of cloud computing for the healthcare industry also help save providers’ money and, thus, reduce care costs for patients.
In healthcare, scalability has historically been a serious challenge to cope with. Healthcare software should process large volumes of multiformat data while maintaining high availability and uptime. At the same time, healthcare isn’t a stable industry. Even minor disease outbreaks can require you to scale up your applications fast, while more calm periods may force you to scale the system down to optimize costs.
Unlike on-premise servers, cloud computing services are highly flexible and scalable, helping your clinic to swiftly adapt to new circumstances, be it flu season or a pandemic.
Cloud computing technology allows storing terabytes of data and processing millions of requests in seconds. Coupled with AI, it creates more opportunities for real-time data analytics, delivering opportunities for more accurate diagnostics and personalized treatment plans.
But the use cases of real-time analytics go far beyond patient care. Analytics powers medical research, clinical trials, and drug discovery. For example, cloud computing is used as a platform for DNA analysis and collaboration. The research claims that cloud computing will likely remain a solid foundation for large-scale genomic collaboration.
In India, the government is mandating healthcare organizations to use EHR instead of paper record-keeping. Since the cloud offers scalable and available storage for large volumes of data, the service has become a blessing for healthcare.
Data stored in the cloud is properly secured and can be easily accessed by authorized users from any device with an internet connection. Real-time updates ensure that all records are consistent and up-to-date. What’s more, cloud computing increases data interoperability, enabling data integrations across healthcare systems. Simply put, your data is always available for sharing and use.
Cloud computing in healthcare offers robust data security and compliance measures, ensuring that sensitive patient information remains protected and adheres to regulatory standards such as HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act).
By leveraging advanced encryption techniques, access controls, and regular security audits, cloud providers safeguard healthcare data from unauthorized access, breaches, and cyber threats. Cloud platforms also offer built-in compliance features and certifications, assuring healthcare organizations that their data management practices meet industry-specific regulations.