How Is Cloud Computing Impacting the Healthcare Sector?

Healthcare is one of the fastest-growing industries experiencing a high transition with innovative technologies. One such technology is cloud computing, which has completely transformed the way of working in the healthcare industry. It offers enhanced data security, eases data handling, provides high-quality care, and delivers cost-effective solutions. With all the benefits, cloud computing has set its foot in the healthcare industry and is witnessing constant growth. BBC research report states that the global spending on cloud computing in the healthcare sector is expected to be around $35 billion by 2022, with a CAGR of 15% rise. The size of the Cloud-powered healthcare market is anticipated to reach $55 billion by 2025.

This article aims to provide insights into what a cloud-based healthcare system means and how a cloud-computing healthcare system works.

What Is a Cloud-based Healthcare System?

Cloud computing provides the on-demand availability of computing resources such as data storage. The cloud acts as a data center available over the internet, distributed over multiple locations, and controlled from central servers. It enables easy data storage and provides accessibility from any device at any time.

Cloud computing in healthcare refers to integrating cloud technology for developing and managing cloud-based healthcare solutions. Cloud-based solutions provide enormous storage resources with on-demand access, which is not possible with traditional healthcare systems. It also supports large datasets for EHRs, images, and genomic data offloading. Cloud offers easy data sharing among physicians and other healthcare providers and allows them to access the data remotely. Moreover, it provides analysis and monitoring of information on diagnosis and improves overall performance.

How Does Cloud Computing Work in The Healthcare Sector?

The following steps show the workflow of a cloud-based architecture:

1. Patient Requests Authorization

External users, including patients and third-party employees (like drug manufacturers, pharmacies, etc.), use public cloud services. The user logs in using a username and password and places a request for authorization to access cloud services.

2. Request Forwarded to Private Cloud Network

The request is processed at the public cloud and is forwarded to the identity and access control service at the private cloud.

3. Request Response

The request is either accepted or rejected. If accepted, it is forwarded to a healthcare private cloud application server. Whereas, if the request is denied, a notifying message is sent specifying the reason for the request's rejection.

4. Physician Requests Authorization

A physician is an internal user; he logs on to the private cloud services and sends an authorization request, including username and password, to identity and access control.

5. Request Response

The physician's request to access data is processed from the cloud application server. Once the authentication is successful, the private cloud processes the request, and the physician is allowed to access the data from the public cloud application server.

6. Data Processed at the Clinical Cloud

Once the data is accessed, the physician provides comments and updates the healthcare data. The clinical processing updates the general health information.

7. A Medical Advice Is Sent to the Patient

A physician can directly send the prescription or feedback in terms of medical advice to the patient.

8. The Information Is Updated Into the Clinical Server

The information gets updated into the clinical cloud server system once the physician sends medical advice to the patient.

9. The Patient Receives a Notification

The patient is informed about the latest medical data condition through notification services. This information is passed through the clinical server to the public cloud network's identity and access control server. Once the notification is received, the patient can access the latest medical information sent through the physician's end.
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Conclusion

Cloud-based healthcare solutions for public health and in the event of disasters are meaningful. A cloud-based solution's main objective is to reduce the burdensome task of healthcare workers with improved medical systems and effective patient care. The Healthcare sector has always been at the forefront in adopting cloud computing technology. Many big healthcare organizations are already working with their custom cloud-based solutions to provide their patients with complete quality care.