Cloud Computing in Healthcare: How It's Used and 12 Examples

• January 23 2024

The healthcare industry is undergoing a digital revolution, and cloud computing is playing a pivotal role. By moving data and applications to the cloud, healthcare organizations are unlocking a host of benefits, from improved patient care to streamlined operations and increased efficiency.

As per the report, cloud technology is becoming famous and the cloud computing market is predicted to reach $71,730.64 million by 2027, with a CAGR of 14.12 percent between 2022 and 2027. Hence, we can see that healthcare organizations accept new technologies and spend more on tech growth.

What is Cloud Computing Healthcare?

Cloud computing in healthcare involves the utilization of distant servers accessed over the internet to store, manage, and process medical data. It offers a convenient solution for healthcare professionals and institutions, allowing them to securely store a large volume of information on online servers. Typically, these servers are maintained by IT experts.

The implementation of the Electronic Medical Records (EMR) Mandate has prompted medical entities to adopt cloud-based solutions for the storage and security of patient records. Additionally, healthcare organizations that initially did not consider transitioning their existing data centers to the cloud have also embraced cloud-based alternatives.

Cloud computing offers numerous advantages in the healthcare sector:

1. Accelerates Clinical Analyses and Care Processes:

   Speeds up the analysis of critical care components, such as clinical notes, leading to more efficient and effective patient care.

2. Automates Data Processing and Scalability:

   Enables automated scalability, particularly crucial for applications like Electronic Health Records (EHRs) that experience exponential growth, making it easier to increase capacity in a cloud-based environment.

3. Increases Patient Data Accessibility:

   Provides healthcare professionals with easy access to detailed patient data from various sources, eliminating the need for extensive networks and complex security protocols.

4. Reduces Network Equipment and Staff Costs:

   Lowers costs associated with maintaining internal IT staff and on-site servers, contributing to overall cost efficiency in healthcare operations.

5. Reduces Risk of Data Loss:

   Mitigates the risk of data loss by eliminating the reliance on on-site servers, reducing vulnerabilities to natural disasters or cyber attacks.

The adoption of cloud computing in healthcare has seen a notable increase, despite concerns about privacy. The benefits, including cost savings and improved care processes, are compelling factors. With the shift to cloud-based solutions, there's a decrease in the reliance on internal IT staff, leading to faster data processing and enhanced scalability.

Furthermore, the absence of on-site servers minimizes the impact of potential disasters and cyber threats. The ease of scalability is particularly advantageous for applications like EHRs, which often experience significant growth. The accessibility of patient data from diverse sources streamlines information retrieval for healthcare providers, facilitating quicker and more accurate patient care.

The potential improvements extend to various healthcare functions, such as telehealth, virtual care, medication adherence, drug anti-theft measures, resource efficiency, personal data privacy, and the standardization of medical records. As a result, more cloud companies are pursuing opportunities within the healthcare sector.

But how exactly is cloud computing being used in healthcare? Let's explore some key applications:

1. Electronic Health Records (EHRs)

   Cloud-based EHRs allow secure access to patient data from anywhere, anytime, improving care coordination and collaboration among healthcare providers.

   Example: Epic Systems: Epic's cloud-based EHR system, called "Clango," is used by hundreds of hospitals and clinics across the US. It allows medical professionals to access patient records securely from any device, regardless of location, fostering better care coordination between various care settings.

2. Telemedicine

   Cloud-powered platforms enable virtual consultations, remote diagnosis, and even remote monitoring of patients, making healthcare more accessible and convenient. Medable’s medical-grade platform facilitates direct-to-patient healthcare and collaboration by supporting clinical applications and storing personal health information for providers and researchers. In addition, the platform can be used by developers to expand or create apps for mobile, tablet and desktop.

3. Medical Imaging

   Storing and sharing medical images (X-rays, DICOM, MRIs, etc.) in the cloud facilitates faster diagnosis, smoother interdepartmental communication, and even allows specialists to consult remotely.

   Example: GE HealthCloud: This cloud-based platform allows secure storage, sharing, and analysis of medical images like X-rays and MRIs. Radiologists can access images from different hospitals remotely, enabling faster diagnosis and consultations with specialists across institutions.

4. Clinical Research

   Cloud platforms manage and analyze vast amounts of clinical data, facilitating faster research, drug development, and personalized medicine.

   Example: Seven Bridges Genomics: This cloud platform helps researchers manage and analyze massive datasets of genomic and clinical data. It accelerates research on complex diseases, leading to breakthroughs in drug development and personalized medicine.

5. Hospital Administration

   Cloud solutions streamline administrative tasks like billing, scheduling, and inventory management, freeing up staff time for patient care.

   Example: Cerner Revance: This cloud-based solution handles various administrative tasks for hospitals, including billing, scheduling, and inventory management. By automating these processes, it frees up staff time and resources for direct patient care.

6. Public Health Surveillance

   Real-time data analysis in the cloud helps track disease outbreaks, identify trends, and implement preventive measures more effectively.

   Example: Flu Near You: This cloud-based platform collects and analyzes data from flu-like illness reports in real-time. Public health officials can use this information to track outbreaks, predict trends, and implement targeted preventive measures.

7. Precision Medicine

   Cloud-based tools analyze individual genetic and health data to develop personalized treatment plans for patients.

   Example: Foundation Medicine: This company uses cloud computing to analyze patients' genetic data and identify mutations that contribute to their cancer. This information helps doctors develop personalized treatment plans that are more effective than traditional approaches.

8. Medical Apps and Devices

   Cloud infrastructure supports the development and deployment of innovative medical apps and wearables that monitor health, deliver personalized recommendations, and manage chronic conditions

   Example: Glucose Watch: This smartwatch continuously monitors blood sugar levels and transmits data to the cloud. Patients can access real-time glucose readings, receive personalized insulin dosing recommendations, and share data with their healthcare providers remotely, improving diabetes management.

9. Disaster Recovery

   Cloud solutions ensure data backup and quick recovery in case of emergencies, preventing patient data loss and ensuring continuity of care.

10. Cybersecurity

    Cloud providers offer robust security features and protocols, protecting sensitive patient data from cyberattacks and breaches.

    Example: IBM Security Guardium: This cloud-based security platform helps healthcare organizations monitor network activity, detect suspicious behavior, and prevent cyberattacks that could compromise patient data.

11. Artificial Intelligence (AI)

    Cloud computing provides the necessary processing power and data storage for AI-powered healthcare applications, including medical image analysis, disease prediction, and virtual assistants.

    Example: DeepMind's AlphaFold: This AI tool uses cloud computing to predict protein structures, which can accelerate drug discovery and development. This could lead to faster creation of new medicines for various diseases.

12. Patient Engagement

    Cloud-based patient portals empower patients with secure access to their medical records, allowing them to actively participate in their care decisions.

    MyChart: This patient portal allows patients to view their medical records, schedule appointments, communicate with their doctors, and refill prescriptions, all from a secure online platform. This empowers patients to be more informed and involved in their own healthcare.

These are just a few examples of how cloud computing is transforming healthcare. As the technology matures and adoption increases, we can expect even more innovative applications that will revolutionize the way healthcare is delivered.

Cloud in Healthcare: Challenges and Solutions

While cloud computing offers immense potential for healthcare, it's not without its hurdles. Let's explore the key challenges and how to navigate them:

Challenges:

1. Limited Ecosystem: Embracing just cloud solutions won't unlock full efficiency. Integrating AI, IoT, and data management technologies is crucial for maximizing benefits.
2. Expert Scarcity: Finding skilled developers and cloud professionals specialized in healthcare can be a bottleneck to seamless integration.
3. Security Concerns: Storing sensitive healthcare data in the cloud raises security risks, with shared servers and potential vulnerabilities posing a challenge.
4. Technological Shift: Transitioning from legacy systems to cloud-based technologies requires comprehensive task management transformation and staff training.

Solutions:

How to Avoid Risks While Applying Cloud Computing in Healthcare?

Implementing cloud computing in healthcare is a phased process that requires collaboration between healthcare organizations and technology providers. To mitigate associated risks, certain measures should be considered:

1. Define Objectives: Clearly understand the needs of incorporating cloud systems into your healthcare business. This involves identifying reasons such as cost savings, compliance management, security enhancement, and improved data protection. Knowing key objectives facilitates effective communication with technology providers, enabling tailored solutions based on business requirements.
2. Identify Processes for Migration: While there may be various processes to transition to the cloud, it's essential to recognize specific functions that require improvement. Evaluate the current pipeline of your healthcare organization and pinpoint obstacles hindering quality medical delivery or impeding team operations. Prioritize the immediate migration of processes to the cloud to maximize benefits, aiding communication with technology vendors and determining the precise timeline for implementation.
3. Assess Financial Investments: Switching to the cloud involves specific expenditures, including payments to tech experts overseeing the entire transfer process. Evaluate whether your business can afford such investments. Options include outsourcing tasks to offshore technical vendors for security and cost-effectiveness, creating an in-house technical team for control over the transfer process, or hiring freelancers for cost efficiency, though this option may raise concerns about sharing sensitive medical data. Each option has its advantages and considerations, allowing flexibility based on the organization's circumstances.

By taking these challenges and solutions into account, healthcare organizations can overcome the roadblocks and effectively harness the power of cloud computing to revolutionize patient care and streamline operations.

Conclusion

Integrating cloud computing into the healthcare sector holds significant potential to influence the industry's trajectory positively. This can manifest in various ways, including cost and time savings, increased convenience, scalability, and improved collaboration among healthcare researchers. Cloud solutions present a multitude of advantages for the healthcare sector.

In instances where your organization lacks the expertise needed for implementation, consider engaging a healthcare app development company to facilitate the adoption of cloud solutions and address any technical challenges.

Our tailored application development services provide customized software solutions that harness the full potential of cloud technology for your business. Our developers can either create a bespoke platform from the ground up or enhance your current system to maximize its capabilities. We accommodate private, public, and hybrid cloud technologies, guaranteeing a flexible, secure, and highly reliable service. By opting for customized development, your business can swiftly grow its IT infrastructure and evolve into a highly efficient, cloud-powered force.