The Future of Cloud Computing in Healthcare

The benefits of cloud computing in healthcare often serve the purpose of both patients and physicians. Some benefits of leveraging cloud systems for healthcare include reduced costs, enhanced privacy, and better patient care through collaboration and interoperability. Cloud computing is often regarded as a case where the business outcomes of healthcare providers and patient outcomes are largely aligned with one another.

What is Cloud Computing?

Cloud computing is the on-demand delivery of IT services which includes servers, storage, databases, networking, software, analytics, and intelligence over the Internet with pay-as-you-go pricing. As a result, this offers faster innovation, flexible resources, and economies of scale.

Hence instead of buying, owning, and maintaining physical data centres and servers, one can easily access technology services, such as computing power, storage, and databases, on an as-needed basis from a cloud provider which is very similar to Amazon Web Services.

Different types of Cloud Computing

Not all clouds are similar, and not one type of cloud computing is ideal for everyone. Various models, types, and services have undergone massive changes to offer the right solution for your needs. Generally, there are three different ways to deploy cloud services: public, private, or hybrid.

1. Public Cloud

Public clouds are owned and operated through third-party cloud service providers, which provide computing resources like servers and storage via the Internet. You can consider Microsoft Azure to be an example of a public cloud.

With the help of the public Cloud, all hardware, software, and other supporting infrastructure is owned and managed by the cloud provider. These services can manage and access your account using a web browser.

2. Private Cloud

Cloud computing resources are used exclusively by a single business or organization, a Private Cloud. One can physically locate a private cloud on the company’s on-site data centre. Few companies also pay third-party service providers to host their private Cloud. Hence a private cloud is one in which the services and infrastructure are maintained on a private network.

3. Hybrid Cloud

A combination of public and private clouds which are bonded together by technology and allows data and applications to be shared between them is known as a hybrid cloud. Therefore by allowing data and applications to move between private and public clouds, a hybrid cloud provides your business greater flexibility and more deployment options and helps you optimize your existing infrastructure, security and compliance.

Cloud Computing in HealthCare

Cloud computing in healthcare has been used a lot in recent times. Since the pandemic, the entire healthcare system has depended on the application of cloud computing, and doctors and nurses, and every medical institution have reaped the benefits of IT infrastructures.

There are various perks of the increased use of cloud systems in healthcare, including improved privacy, lowered expenses, and better patient care through remote operation and collaboration. It can be said that the implementation of cloud computing in healthcare has brought new ways which have enhanced the functionality of IT systems.

According to reports, cloud technology has gained a lot of reputation by offering healthcare software solutions. The cloud computing market has been predicted to reach $71,730.64 million by 2027, with a CAGR of 14.12 per cent between 2022 and 2027. (Source) Therefore, we can see that healthcare organizations are accepting new technologies and spending more on tech growth.

Now in terms of definition, cloud computing in healthcare is about applying remote servers used through the Internet. It has several benefits like storing, handling, and processing medical information. Hence, cloud storage is a convenient way for healthcare experts and medical institutions to use online servers to store a massive amount of data securely. In most cases, IT experts maintain such servers.

With the arrival of the EMR (Electronic Medical Records) Mandate, medical companies have accepted more and more cloud-based solutions to store and secure patient records. Moreover, healthcare organizations that did not plan to shift current data centres to the Cloud have also started to adopt cloud-based solutions.

Benefits of Cloud Computing in HealthCare

In recent years, cloud computing in healthcare has been growing so fast that total global spending has been estimated to reach $500 billion by the end of 2022, with a market value of over $89 billion globally by 2027. Besides this, IaaS, a cloud computing model popular for migrating healthcare infrastructures to the Cloud, is the fastest-growing cloud service with a projected CAGR of 32% by 2027.

• Security

One of the most common questions that come to mind when talking about the Cloud is how secure it is to have all your apps and patient data in a third-party server. This especially happens when organizations need to comply with regulatory frameworks like Europe’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) for the protection of personal data, the US’s Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) for secure data portability, or the HITRUST Alliance’s CSF, an industry-mediated certifiable standard to safeguard sensitive information.

If everything is done well, the cloud servers increase the security of healthcare providers. However, medical institutions might lose all their data and applications if the equipment fails in the case of on-premises solutions.

• Cost efficient

As cloud computing runs under a subscription model, healthcare providers can save money from purchasing expensive systems and equipment. Furthermore, by adopting a cloud server, healthcare institutions can help reduce costs using the cloud provider’s resources.

• Scalability

Dissimilar to the conventional self-hosted models, cloud computing offers healthcare providers the flexibility, that can increase or decrease their data storage depending on the patients’ flow.

Hence, healthcare institutions can adapt their technology to peak seasons, for example, during the flu season, when the volume of patients increases, without wasting time and money through the latest hardware purchases or software updates.

• Storage of Data

Healthcare providers often have to deal with electronic medical records, patient portals, mobile apps, and big data analytics. That is a lot of data to manage and analyze; not all in-house equipment can generally store it. Therefore, cloud computing allows healthcare institutions to store all that data by avoiding the extra costs of maintaining physical servers.

• Promoted Cooperation

Through cloud-based messaging and collaboration services, healthcare providers can exchange knowledge and experience using various methods. In this way, they can simultaneously improve the quality of healthcare services and promote the development of medical sciences.

• Speed

Speed is one of the most important criteria that must be considered before selecting any technology. Cloud-based tools can help you update and upgrade their features at a commendable pace with minimal intervention, giving you real-time updates on all the relevant information.

Therefore the benefits of cloud computing in healthcare include unmatched speed and faster access to information, which is very beneficial in overcoming the stumbling blocks that industry stakeholders and patients come across. This futuristic technology has also evolved the scope of clinical research, and the Cloud can facilitate clinical trial management and knowledge sharing.

Different types of Cloud Computing in Healthcare

There are various types of cloud computing in healthcare.

1. Distribution Model

• SaaS (Software as a Service): In this case, providers offer IT infrastructure, and clients deploy apps and operating systems.
• IaaS (Infrastructure as a Service): Providers provide an operating system and IT infrastructure, and clients deploy apps.
• PaaS (Platform as a Service): In this case, providers offer apps, an operating system, IT infrastructure, and other elements embedded in an easy-to-use platform.

2. Deployment Model

• Community: Only a group with similar preferences and goals can utilize the technology.
• Private: A single specific client can use cloud technology.
• Hybrid: This technology has multiple clouds with various access options.
• Public: this type of Cloud can be used by common people.

Ways to avoid risk while applying Cloud computing in healthcare?
Certain points must be kept in mind to avoid risk while applying Cloud Computing in healthcare, as per healthcare app development companies in the UK.

Your entire method of handling tasks gets altered while switching from an on-premises installation to the cloud. Therefore, healthcare workers planning for a cloud solution implementation must make sure that everybody comes to speed with how to work effectively on the Cloud. If not so, then your business might face the risks of downtime, improper handling of data and, in more extreme Cases, information leaks.

All cloud-based health solutions must match with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability. These solutions comprise security measures, protocols for patient privacy, enforcement of laws, and breach notification procedures. Hence to ensure HIPAA compliance, both the healthcare and the cloud providers must be familiar with the occupation of HIPAA.

You can use the multifactor authentication besides the username and password to add that little extra security to access your cloud account. This step is important as it will help prevent hacking if your employees share their passwords.

Most of the time, the carelessness of the employees might accidentally delete some data. There can even be a loss of data from your cloud account. Sometimes, new and untrained employees might fail to spot phishing emails and become the subject of account takeover attacks. Therefore it is always advised to train your employees on some best security practices for cloud applications. This can be done through online training programs, webinars and many more.

Backing up data is crucial in case all the information stored in your Cloud gets deleted due to DDoS attacks or other threats. Hence make sure to frequently back up your account and choose a disaster recovery plan.

However, you do not need to worry if you have chosen a cloud service of a reputed CSP and followed all the necessary security methods.

Future of Cloud Adoption in HealthCare

The technological world is moving fast, and healthcare organizations digitally transforming their businesses and modernizing their operations are leading the pack and outpacing their competition. Organizations that have expanded their cloud capabilities recently will be able to adapt effectively to the changing landscape of healthcare in the years to come.

However, adopting cloud computing in healthcare requires modernizing legacy systems, so that is where many are starting. Some software development companies in the UK are Microsoft, NetApp, Pfizer and others.

This day, patients are demanding more from their healthcare experiences, such as predictive care, accurate staffing and medication orders, easy and accurate access to their health records, remote-monitored IoT medical devices, and many more. They will only have access to them if healthcare providers require those applications from the Cloud. Hence in the coming future, Cloud Computing in healthcare will play a vital role.

Conclusion

Hence cloud computing in the healthcare industry has offered worldwide remote access to information, automated backups, and fast recovery. Besides this, most cloud service software development companies in the UK offer risk management and monitoring services to offer protection. One can shape the industry’s future in several ways by implementing cloud computing healthcare. It can reduce expenses or time by providing conveniences, scalability, and enhancing collaboration among healthcare researchers; cloud solutions have many things to deliver.

FAQs

Q-1 Does cloud computing in healthcare come with risk?

Ans: Despite all the advantages that healthcare Cloud computing offers, some risks still follow. The healthcare software solutions will help you avoid some risks.

Restricted ecosystem: The only acceptance of cloud solutions in healthcare will not make the whole industry productive and efficient.

Lack of Experts: One can hardly find expert developers in the healthcare software domain who can carry the expertise for integrating new technologies in the industry.

Issues related while adopting technologies: Cloud technologies require transforming the whole task management process. Therefore, healthcare agencies must teach everybody how it will help with daily tasks.

Q-2 Can you tell me the statistics of cloud computing in healthcare?

Ans: As per various statistics and data, the cloud computing market in 2021 was valued at USD 33,390.56 million, and therefore, it is expected to reach USD 71,730.64 million by 2027, registering a CAGR of 14.12% during 2022-2027. (Source)

Q-3 What are the benefits of cloud computing in healthcare in simple terms?

Ans: Cloud computing in healthcare has increased the industry’s efficiency and, on the other hand, has decreased its costs. This has also resulted in an increase in the healthcare app development company in the UK.

Medical record-sharing has become easier and safer through cloud computing. It has even facilitated the creation and maintenance of telehealth apps. Various software development companies in the UK are adopting cloud computing.