Although the title might not sound too encouraging, it is actually very positive: we’re not talking about the onset of new diseases, problems in healthcare infrastructure or increases in prepaid medicine fees. Nothing of the kind. The title actually refers to the advance of a new technological paradigm which has already reached the field of healthcare in other areas of the world. We are of course talking about Cloud-Based Services, a new way of offering information management services on the internet that will shape the way the web is used in the coming years.
Cloud Computing, as the technology is known, offers enormous advantages for both individual users and healthcare organizations, be they diagnostic centers, clinics, hospitals, healthcare networks or other kinds of institution. The technology makes it possible, for instance, to save information on external servers, thus making it accessible on any device connected to the internet, as well as to use software without having it installed on the device being used. These advantages make Cloud Computing a new and valuable tool, saving time and resources, increasing availability and security of information, and ensuring efficiency and business continuity.
In the field of healthcare, Cloud Computing offers a variety of solutions beneficial for both healthcare institutions and doctors and patients. With specific regard to the management of medical images, these services might include Storage Solutions, providing safe and reliable data protection services in an external environment; PACS (Picture Archiving and Communication Systems) Services, providing radiologists with tools and work flow systems for diagnostic imaging; Collaborative Tools, which allow the organization to create a work flow to make images, and treatment and patient status information available to a virtual community; and a Portal so that doctors can access images, patient information, reports and clinical tools on demand via a WEB interface from any device.
The advantages of cloud computing for healthcare organizations are clear. Some of the main benefits are as follows:
– They prevent technology from going obsolete: There’s no need to update or maintain servers or storage systems as these belong to third parties.
– Projects will not require investment in infrastructure: The healthcare institution will be able to embark upon projects using new software without having to install it in the existing infrastructure, only paying for what they use (according to the number of procedures carried out).
– Requires fewer systems technicians: one of the most common staff deficiencies in healthcare institutions.
– Clinical tools: Provides all the clinical tools required to process, read and report on imaging procedures.
– Ensures greater security: The data is protected from mishap, thus providing added value, as it avoids additional investment in security. The back-up copy guarantees the safety of business operations.
All the above leads to greater cost efficiency, including savings on electrical energy.
Furthermore:
– It ensures technological interoperability: International standards make it possible to integrate any kind of operating system and share data in a central storage area regardless of the PACS system the client is using, or the format in which the images are saved.
– It makes it easier for the institution to plan its economic/financial model; and
– Allows the creation of a unique patient record, consolidating data from different services.
Overall, these characteristics will have a positive impact on the medical care process.
From the patient’s point of view, there are even more benefits: How often, when we’ve had to change doctor, have we had to provide the new one with our entire clinical history? When we have to undergo a test how often are we asked for previous test results? How often have we had to wait a few days to collect the results from a test carried out in one place, and then had to wait even more to take them to the doctor who needs them?
Cloud-Based Services encourage the unification of patient information, even if it is provided by different specialists or medical services in different locations. This means that our entire medical record can be stored in one place, just a click away, including reports from imaging diagnostic services, laboratory analysis and pharmacological information, to name a just a few different areas. With these solutions, all the information is also processed and classified so that professionals can have more data available for their diagnosis, not in a random or disorganized manner, but organized according to its level of relevance. It will also improve patient care as it will prevent redundant testing and reduce exposure to radiation emitted by some tests while also increasing levels of security and accessibility.
Another aspect is that, as the medical images and information are available at any time and in any place, it is possible for specialists to consult with each other across the world, without delay or travel costs. In emergency or accident cases, for example, the primary care institution attending to the patient and carrying out tests to determine the need for surgery can make the results available to the medical team who will carry out the intervention – even if they are located in another city – allowing them to make adequate preparations before the patient is transferred.
In terms of healthcare policy, the information gathered in the unified electronic health records will be of great use for research, evaluation and comparison between the different developments in patients’ health. It can also be used for epidemiological studies, to obtain statistics, reallocate resources, design healthcare plans and draw up preventative activities tailored to meet the needs of the population.
In every case, one of the principal issues to be resolved is how to achieve an improvement in the way medical information is administered and accessed in a secure manner, as it is private information which requires high levels of security. In this sense, services based in the cloud currently offer the best option, as they allow for information to be shared whilst also providing the necessary security to ensure reliability and authorized access, guaranteeing that the patient’s information is protected but also available when needed. In the short and medium term, the cloud model will transform the service provided by healthcare institutions, inviting them to share information beyond the traditional frontiers of the organization but also respecting the confidentiality of the patient’s personal information.
Although this is undoubtedly the direction in which the industry is heading, virtualization is still in its early stages in healthcare. According to industry analysts, overall, currently only 15 to 20% of organizations have virtualized their servers i.e. store their information remotely on the internet, with these institutions reporting substantial savings. Providing investment in equipment, technology, human resources specialized in data protection, integrity, accessibility, confidentiality and scalability for business continuity can be prohibitively costly for some healthcare organizations. Cloud-Based Services provide, in contrast, a World-Class Information Technology Solution (with made to measure projects accessible to even the smallest institutions), allowing them to focus on what they care about the most: patient care.
