please respond to the post below with the 3 questions asked with proper citations and APA style references.
- Comment on the completeness and correctness of the explanation of what a cloud-based system is and how it differs from an on-premise implementation, explaining your comments.
- Comment on the applicability of the benefits and risks/drawbacks identified, explaining your comments.
- Provide at least one additional benefit or risk/drawback of using cloud-based systems. (You should use different benefits/risks for each of your response postings.)
Conduct some research on cloud-based systems or, specifically cloud-based EHR systems, and:
1) In your own words, explain what a “cloud-based” system is and how it differs from a system implemented on the premise of the using organization
With technological advancements today, industries are seeking to maximize profits, cut cost, be it administrative or infrastructure. This desire to stay in business, offer the best services or most competitive has lead even the health industry to seek better ways to offering patients the most effective and efficient care at a lower cost if possible. Most of this is thanks to how we store and consume data today.
Sharing EHR information today has proven to have improved accessibility to people receiving medical services and or information at remote site. And cloud computing paradigm is one of the popular healthIT infrastructures for facilitating EHR sharing and EHR integration (Chen, et. al, n.d, and p.3375).
Cloud-based systems then are IT infrastructure systems that enable data to be virtually stored in another location that is connected to the on premise network. This information as such can be accessed at any location and time. Just like the name cloud, the storage is virtual, located out of the organization and managed either by the same organization or a third party. On the premise systems on the other hand are IT infrastructures and applications that are located within the organization and you must be within the organization and the network to access data.
The cloud-computing infrastructures deliver information technology as services, by enabling the renting of software, computing power and storage. It provides an attractive IT platform to cut down the cost of EHR systems in terms of both ownership and IT maintenance burdens for many medical practices. It’s important cornerstones to streamline healthcare whether it is for maintaining health records, monitoring of patients, managing diseases and cares more efficiently and effectively, or collaboration with peers and analysis of data (Chen, et. al, n.d, p.3376).
2) Identify two benefits of using cloud-based systems
The benefits of cloud-based computing are numerous.
a) Using cloud-based system can drastically reduce cost and enhance patient outcome. Deploying to cloud implies the organization will cut down the IT infrastructure cost and personnel as well as maintenance cost.
b) Increasing patient outcome, because it gives the physician the flexibility to access stored patient data at any time and place and can collaborate with other physicians regarding patient care.
3) Identify two risks or drawbacks of using cloud-based systems
a) Using cloud solution could increase liability of the cloud vendor not being compliant with HIPAA regulations, which requires data storage companies that have access to protected health information (digital or hard copy) to be directly liable in case of security breaches (Shwayri, 2014, p.43).
b) Downtime can pose serious risk in case of emergencies as the systems rely solely on the internet.
Reference
Chen, Y.-Y., Lu, J.-C., & Jan, J.-K. ( 2 ). (n.d.). A secure EHR system based on hybrid clouds. Journal of Medical Systems, 36(5), 3375–3384.
https://doi-org.ezproxy.umuc.edu/10.1007/s10916-012-9830-6
Shwayri, R. N. (2014). Balancing the risks and rewards of cloud-based healthcare information.
Information Management Journal, (3), 42. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com.ezproxy.umuc.edu/login.aspx?direct=true&db=edsgic&AN=edsgcl.371969309&site=eds-live&scope=site
