Health systems, especially those with a large network of facilities, are finding it a challenge to store and manage the ever increasing volume of patient records and other medical data. Migrating data into the clouds is becoming a popular option in optimising storage, retrieval and sharing of health information.

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According to the latest report from IDC Research, the vast majority (90%) of healthcare organisations are eyeing to deploy multiple cloud models in the next few years. While there are various benefits offered by multicloud environments, experts in this field emphasise that meticulous planning is key to successful migration.

 

Is it the cloud your organisation needs? The answer to this question can come after you have made a comprehensive assessment of the organisation's unique requirements. Having identified which applications you need, this will help you find the best cloud providers who can meet your requirements. "Understanding what you need and knowing what vendors can provide those services," says Dr. Larry Ponemon, CEO and founder of the Ponemon Institute, is a "major consideration” for health systems to take before embarking on a multicloud future.

 

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Security and privacy are important issues to consider. The protection of private health information is paramount in healthcare services, hence it is imperative for providers to make sure that sensitive patient data is stored – and shared, as needed – in a secure manner. For Ponemon, ensuring safety and security of data means organisations must have enough governance process when moving to multicloud environments, for things like disaster recovery if the hospital is hit with malware, for example. High scalability and interoperability of cloud computing tools are also important factors in this new environment, he adds.

 

Complex environment requires more expertise and resources. This is another reason why healthcare organisations must always conduct a highly detailed internal requirements assessment before pursuing any cloud strategy, says Dr. Abed Saif, founding partner and director of cybersecurity advisory services specialist AbedGraham. “Be very clear about why you need a multicloud environment,” he points out. “What are unique benefits or features you get that cannot be covered by a single cloud provider?” Ask vendors how hybrid cloud differs from multicloud, or why you should choose between SaaS and PaaS or IaaS, Dr. Saif advises.

 

Source: Healthcare IT News

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Security, health information, clouds, Choosing the Right Hosting Platform, optimising storage, 4 Ways to Protect Data Beyound Endpoint, IDC Research, multicloud environments, Ponemoninstitute, hybrid cloud Health systems, especially those with a large network of facilities, are finding it a challenge to store and manage the ever increasing volume of patient records and other medical data.