How is cloud computing shaping the future of the healthcare industry?

Highlights 

• Cloud computing in healthcare is making a positive change in several ways, including cost reduction in health-related services.
• Telemedicine, artificial intelligence, virtual reality, internet of medical things are some key trends of using cloud computing in healthcare.
• Cloud computing aims to improve the quality, safety, and efficiency of medical services in the healthcare industry.
• The emergence of cloud computing has supported healthcare organizations to increase the industry's efficiency while decreasing costs.

Using the cloud can be a detailed and complex process, but more and more industries are making a profit with the benefits cloud computing provides to organizations. The healthcare industry is no less, and the implementation of cloud computing in the healthcare industry is leading the way, proving how valuable a move to the cloud can be.

Moreover, there has been a massive change in the consumption, generation, storage, and sharing of healthcare-related information. From conventional healthcare data storage to digitalization in healthcare, the industry has done wonders in data management optimization practices.

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Like other industries, cloud computing in the healthcare sector is generating a positive change in several ways. The healthcare sector can benefit by using cloud computing in many ways, including reducing the cost, focusing on mission-critical activities, and tapping into highly flexible and customizable services by utilizing cloud storage and computing capabilities.

With this backdrop, we will look into the latest trends and applications of cloud computing in the healthcare industry-

Cloud computing trends in healthcare

Telemedicine- One of the trending applications of cloud computing is telemedicine, where patients can talk to doctors online via phone calls, video calls, and messages. Also, the trend of online consultation is increasing amid COVID-19 because of the movement restrictions.

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Artificial Intelligence (AI): AI has tremendous potential to enhance the healthcare industry. With AI, healthcare organizations can explore unlimited possibilities, including information processing and decision-making power like humans.

Virtual Reality (VR)- Virtual reality has various applications in the healthcare industry, from the clinical to the customer. For example, healthcare organizations use virtual reality for medical training, patient treatment, medical marketing, and disease awareness.

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IoMT or Internet of Medical Things- IOMT combines Internet of Things (IoT) and telemedicine. The availability of healthcare specialists on several mobile devices has a significant role in preventing chronic indications. Also, the online management of these systems will help healthcare organizations facilitate consistent and effective communication.

Big data & predictive analysis- The use of cloud computing in the healthcare industry advances database technologies as well as analysis of software prompt big data and its required application.

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Applications of cloud computing in healthcare

The emergence of cloud computing in healthcare has supported healthcare organizations to increase the industry's efficiency while decreasing costs. The use of cloud computing makes patients’ medical record-sharing safe and easy, aids the generation and maintenance of telehealth-related applications, and automates back-end operations.

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Some of the important applications of cloud computing in the healthcare industry are-

• Efficient electronic medical record (EMR) keeping

The main aim of cloud computing in healthcare is to improve the quality, safety as well as efficiency of health-related services. It also improves care coordination and maintains patient privacy and security. Furthermore, cloud storage makes it easier for physicians to collaboratively view or share patients' electronic medical records.

RELATED ARTICLE: Electronic Medical Records (EMR): What are they, and why do we need them?

• Reduction of data storage cost

The fundamental premise of cloud computing is the accessibility of computer resources, including data storage and computing power. With cloud computing, healthcare organizations are exempted from buying the hardware and servers outrightly. Moreover, there are no up-front costs associated with the use of cloud storage of data.

• Improved patient safety

Cloud-based electronic medical records can play a significant role in enhancing patient safety. This protects the patients from being over-prescribed medications that could have caused serious harm. Besides, faster technology provides faster responses as well as treatments in critical situations.

• Increased accessibility for medical services

Telehealth or telemedicine provides remote access to healthcare services and enhances and manages healthcare delivery and support. Cloud computing solutions have numerous ways of impacting telehealth positively. Moreover, the instantly scalable capabilities of the cloud come in handy in unprecedented situations, for example, the case of global pandemics.

Bottom Line

Overall, cloud computing applications in healthcare has positively impacted the industry in several ways, from reducing the costs or the time spent to offering organizations much-needed flexibility, scalability, and empowering collaboration between healthcare researchers. Moreover, healthcare organizations' adoption of cloud solutions also has some obstacles, including security concerns and a lack of internal technical resources. Both of these problems can be easily overcome by selecting the appropriate cloud development partners.