Cloud technologies are a growing part of many businesses. Cloud allows companies to access software and data without requiring the physical space to do so. This allows organizations more flexibility in their data solutions, security (in that they are not reliant on an onsite hardware solution), and better communication (since cloud can be accessed almost anywhere).
Currently, about 30% of CIOs are using cloud computing solutions to improve customer engagement — an increasingly important business component in the age of the internet, where consumers have the potential to make or break a company when it comes to what they say about their services online.
In the healthcare industry cloud has also proved a boon. One of the main challenges in adapting cloud technology to the healthcare industry has been the accommodation of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) which specifies how patient privacy is to be handled. The highly regulated industry often clashes with the often murky details of how cloud privacy is handled.
In spite of that, though, cloud solutions in the healthcare industry has been growing at a rapid clip, and revenue is expected to go from $1.8 billion in 2011, to $5.4 billion in 2017. This amounts to approximately 20.5% growth each year, according to a recently published report on the topic by MarketsandMarkets.
The healthcare industry makes use primarily of three types of cloud hosting services: private, public, and hybrid. Even with concerns over privacy, cloud has found a strong base in the healthcare industry due to other pressing demands. Healthcare organizations are increasingly expected to deliver more services while keeping down costs and waiting times.
According to a recent HIMSS Analytics survey, 83% of IT executives at healthcare organizations report using cloud services — and another 9% plan on using it in the future.
Cloud computing is going to continue being an important part of healthcare industry functions. How do you see cloud being further adopted by this industry? Let us know in the comments. Helpful sites.