What Cloud Backup Services Can do For You
Cloud computing is growing at a rate that has industry experts saying it will be a $6.79 billion industry in 2018. That represents an annual compound growth rate of more than 21 percent. What is your IT team doing to join in with cloud backup services. Have you run into any unexpected issues? Due to the rapid adoption of cloud computing in healthcare, challenges should be expected.
The reason so many providers are running to cloud backup services has to do with more than just cost savings – they’re also looking for disaster recovery improvements, archiving efficiencies, and more ease in sharing medical images across departments and from facility to facility.
Another reason cloud computing is such an enticing topic right now is because of the investment in electronic health records (EHR). Image viewers also have to be integrated into EHR, which can pose some problems with providers who not equipped with the latest PACS solutions, including vendor neutral archiving (VNA). Obviously, the infrastructure for all these new, efficient solutions are cloud based.
As you’re probably already aware, around 75 percent of all imaging procedures occur in facilities other than the hospital setting. Unfortunately, PACS are not very common in these facilities, which is a challenge because the National Healthcare Information Network requires providers to have PACS in order to share medical images. Instead of investing in a massively expensive PACS solution, which most rural providers cannot, the cloud computing model becomes the best option.
VNA is helping to solve the proprietary hiccups that occur with facilities that already have a working PACS solution. It is being used today to create enterprise image strategies that do a great deal for improving patient care. VNA also allows for a scalable solution, which means images can be stored for the long term or the short term, and the amount of space needed on the host’s server can also be adjusted as needed.
Everyone wants to measure their efficiencies today, and providers are finding that their savings are coming through workflow efficiencies. For instance, the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center saw a 43 percent decrease in study management costs, which is an annual savings of $14 million. Obviously, smaller, rural providers can’t compare to such a large system, but they see cost savings as well, and a very fast return on investment.
For the rural provider, the cloud might be the only solution available to them. Due to budget constraints and the lack of IT professionals in their region, they may not be able to implement a PACS. However, not every vendor is going to be as scalable as the next. If you’re a rural provider looking to upgrade your system, consider only the vendors who allow scalable solutions.
OffSite Image Management, Inc. is a company that has solutions for the rural provider. When you partner with us, you never pay for more than what you actually need. Furthermore, we offer 360 solutions that go beyond the simple image management needs. Contact us today for more information.