After the epidemic forced them to adapt and innovate like never before, healthcare leaders like Sheth Jeebun are embracing the cloud and software as a service (SaaS). This year, they plan to move 66% of their tech infrastructure to the cloud. By 2024, they hope to have moved 96%.
Moving to the cloud, though, is about more than simply technology. It’s a change in the organization. Healthcare systems may be able to access clinical and operational data on a large scale and speed up the innovation cycle to keep delivering value using cloud-based platforms and solutions.
The future is never clear until it arrives. Who would have guessed that 25 years ago, we would be pretty comfortable moving money online without hesitation? Or that we’d be able to watch our favorite movies and TV shows on the go? Or that cars would be able to connect to the internet and become mobile software that could be updated wirelessly?
Cloud-based data storage and processing, as well as cloud-delivered software as a Service (SaaS), have become engrained in many facets of our lives. On the other hand, healthcare has generally trailed behind in terms of adoption. And for reasons that make sense, the most important of which are security and compliance issues.
Despite some reservations, more and more healthcare leaders are seeing the benefits of using cloud platforms designed specifically for healthcare. These platforms can help create more cost-effective, connected care in a secure and scalable way.
Integrating data from several sources across the care spectrum is
COVID-19 ushered healthcare into the future in numerous ways. The epidemic heightened the need for healthcare leaders to expand their virtual care capabilities as a method to communicate with patients outside of hospital walls. At the same time, they wanted to be able to grow or shrink without having to spend a lot of money upfront.
Rapid communication of patient information across systems and care locations was also necessary for effective crisis management. Healthcare providers could quickly scale up digital health technology to meet new needs thanks to cloud-based services and solutions that can be paid for on a pay-as-you-go basis. As a result, cloud acceptability has risen dramatically.
Integration of patient data across all aspects of a patient’s experience is becoming more critical as patient data is collected in more places and through more systems and modalities.
Keeping patient data safe and compliant is a challenge.
Data security is a significant consideration for healthcare leaders as they embark on their journey to the cloud. Whether it’s HIPAA in the US or GDPR in the EU, data processing in healthcare must adhere to strict guidelines. Unfortunately, healthcare institutions are still a big target for data breaches, so more data security measures need to be implemented.
There is a recognition that shifting to the cloud may be a better option for data security and regulatory compliance. 60% of healthcare executives say that security is one of the best things about the cloud.
When healthcare businesses use their own data centers, they are in charge of security from start to finish, which can become prohibitively complex and time-consuming as IT infrastructures grow. Cloud-based services and solutions can help you store sensitive data without relying on local hardware, and automated software upgrades keep your systems up-to-date.
At the point of care, we are transforming data into insights at scale.
The next massive opportunity in healthcare, based on these foundations, is to capture the insights in the data that we are beginning to connect and integrate. With its vital computing resources and advanced machine learning capabilities, available as microservices, the cloud is also becoming a critical enabler in this area. If approved, these microservices can be used to create new digital solutions that may improve clinical results and operational efficiency.
As more and more hospitals adopt cloud technology, we will see more algorithms create to work with existing medical equipment. It will give doctors and other hospital staff quick and easy access to essential data when needed. With SaaS-based models, healthcare providers can get constant updates as algorithms learn from new data more accurately.
We are enabling continuous value delivery and quick experimentation.
Embracing the cloud also changes the nature of healthcare innovation.
Cloud platforms compliant with healthcare regulations provide a flexible basis for the rapid creation and testing of digital applications. Cross-functional teams that work in short, agile cycles can quickly release new digital apps and add new or improved features and functions based on user feedback. As a result, healthcare institutions will be able to innovate more quickly. And in smaller, more easily consumable chunks.
Historically, healthcare professionals who wanted to adopt new technology had to go through annual capital-based budgeting cycles or implement solutions all at once, slowing down the rate of innovation. With patients’ needs changing all the time and technology improving quickly, the cloud lets healthcare providers try new things more quickly, doubling down on what works and getting rid of what doesn’t.
Development and operations teams increasingly collaborate across the entire application life cycle, from development and testing to deployment and operations (DevOps). Working backward from what the customer wants, these “end-to-end” teams work together to quickly create and improve technologies that help doctors and staff improve the lives of their patients.
It’s not a case of all or nothing when moving to the cloud.
Of course, none of this implies that migrating to the cloud is as simple as pressing a button. For most of our customers, the path is long and complicated. It’s also been a long road for Sheth Jeebun. During their journey to the cloud, any organization that has amassed many legacy systems and infrastructures will have to manage a hybrid architecture.
In essence, a cloud is a tool for achieving a goal rather than a goal in and of itself.
With cloud-based solutions, healthcare professionals can get the most out of the data they collect about patients from the hospital to their homes.
Turning data into insights on a large scale can help healthcare professionals provide better care at lower costs. This way, they can improve patient and employee experiences. In the end, this will transform healthcare systems like the cloud has transformed other industries.
Read also: avple
