Dive Brief:
- Healthcare CIOs are increasingly looking to cloud storage as physical data centers age and resources shrink, but not all providers and payers are moving at the same pace. Organizations are also using the cloud to tackle new regulatory requirements and drive down costs.
- A new report by IDC Health Insights can help providers and payers optimize their use of the cloud, FierceHealthcare reports.
- The report offers guidance on developing a cloud strategy that can drive higher return from investments, Jonas Knudsen, IDC’s research director, said in a statement.
Dive Insight:
Most healthcare organizations that have embraced the cloud use a hybrid system, combining on-premise data storage with the cloud. But others have adopted an enterprise approach, using cloud computing to speed data sharing and reduce costs.
The trend comes as attitudes are changing about security of personal data in the cloud.
“The healthcare industry has realized that not only is the cloud secure for healthcare data, but it’s probably more secure than what they’re able to do inside of a hospital,” Paul Butler, director at Top Tier Consulting, recently told Healthcare Dive.
At MedStar Health, officials are implementing a three-year technology plan that will shift data to either the public or private cloud depending on the level of security needed. Information, such as regulations, that needs to be close at hand will still be housed on site.
Advantages of the cloud include pay-as-you go financing and faster implementation, since systems don’t need to be purchased and installed. Experts have said cloud-computing could help small and solo practices with limited IT capabilities transition more easily to MACRA and value-based payment models.