5 Benefits of Cloud Technology in Healthcare

Mati Lerner
Cloud Use CasesEdge Computing
13 Jun 2023

The arrival of cloud computing into the world of healthcare has the power to change the world. These new technologies hold the potential to save countless lives and transform global health practices. The connectivity that the cloud provides can bring life-saving technology to the people who need it.

 

But what does it mean exactly to bring cloud computing to healthcare?  Literally, it is to connect, synthesize, and analyze all types of health-related data within the cloud — and then to deliver it instantly, as needed, to the provider or the consumer.

Connecting to the cloud can increase efficiency, enhance privacy, reduce costs, and perhaps most importantly, enable lifesaving services.The importance of cloud computing in healthcare is highlighted by the fact that the global cloud computing market for the healthcare industry is growing by 20% a year.

 

Let’s take a look at five key ways that cloud computing is creating better healthcare.

1. Remote Surgery Performed Around the World

 

 

Until recently, the medical community was hesitant about operating on patients remotely using robotics. What if network latency prevents the operation from going as planned?

Fortunately, with the new 5G cloud technologies that provide hyper low latency, tele-surgery can now be a feasible option. Instant signal transmission and VR advancements can enable surgeons to operate safely across the world.

Even today, doctors can remotely perform procedures on patients who live thousands of miles away. Now patients who live in remote areas can have access to the same medical care as those who live in a city. Countless lives can be saved by bringing this technology to parts of the world that are underserved medically.

 

2. IoT Connected Medical Devices React Instantly

 

IoT-connected medical devices, such as monitoring devices for glucose levels, heart rate, and Parkinson’s, have revolutionized personal medical care. These instruments are able to track patients’ health 24/7 and react instantaneously to any issue.

If someone is in need of an ambulance, these devices will be able to react more quickly and efficiently than any human. How do these devices achieve this? They are constantly sending the patient’s data to the cloud, where the information is stored, and connected to the relevant medical professionals.

Ridge’s distributed cloud allows for even faster response times by keeping the data local and immediate.

 

3. Smart Ambulances Provide Treatment En Route

 

Countless lives are lost while in transit between the home and the hospital in an ambulance. Smart ambulance technology, as enabled by the cloud, would reduce these casualties.

EMTs would be able to communicate with ER doctors in real-time, use VR technology to transmit patient information, and administer treatments accordingly. With the minimal latency that Ridge cloud connectivity provides, those in need of immediate help can receive it with the smart ambulance.

 

4. Electronic Patient Records Improve Medical Practice

 

It is simple for healthcare centers to keep their patient data in the cloud rather than on-premises. These records become part of a shared virtual network. Doctors are able to see the complete medical history of each patient, even if they have not previously treated them.

In addition, patients will understand that their medical records are fully transparent. They will not, for example, be able to go from doctor to doctor for a prescription unless it is justified medically.

 

5. Preventing Global Health Crises with De-identified Data

 

Now that medical records are being stored digitally, rather than on paper, data can simply be anonymized in order to be analyzed. Cloud computing allows for these vast amounts of data to be compiled and then used to create algorithms that can do amazing things. T

hese algorithms can learn to diagnose illnesses, or track local, national, and international trends to assess the current public health threats. Hopefully, experts tracking such data can recognize trends and take appropriate measures before we face another global pandemic.

 

Bringing the cloud to the realm of healthcare has enormous potential. As I described above, there are many evolving smart, innovative solutions that use the cloud with the power to not only reform the healthcare system but also save human life. Read more about the benefits of cloud computing.

 

To read more about this topic, see our in-depth article on Cloud Computing in Healthcare.


Author:
Linkedin Mati Lerner, Co-Founder & CEO | Ridge
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Mati is not only one of the founders of Ridge, but also a cloud expert. He enjoys writing about the benefits of cloud nativity & different cloud architectures.