Introduction
The debate on whether or not the use of
cloud computing should be adopted by healthcare institutions has been recently
sparked with the new federal healthcare law taking effect this October.
Currently many healthcare institutions store patient’s medical information
electronically through a computerized data base or paper charts. Although, these methods are effective they
are not convenient because they are not easily accessible. That is why some
healthcare providers are looking into cloud computing in order to “facilitate
the exchange of patient information and to provide IT services at lower costs
and faster speeds” (McCann, 2012). However, some healthcare providers argue
that cloud computing is not secure and it’s a risk that they are not willing to
take.
Background
What is “cloud”? According to Josh Manchester, a
contributor for Forbes magazine, cloud computing is the ability to use files
over the internet instead of hosting, storing, or processing them on local
manage hardware. In layman terms, cloud computing is anything that you can
access over the internet; examples of cloud computing are the web-based email
services such as Gmail or Hotmail. Before cloud computing, many organizations
would have different hardware and software applications that would be assigned
to a specific hardware in the data center. If the hardware in the data center was
to malfunction, then the organization would have to connect to a ready to use
backup data center. With cloud computing all the organization needs is,
interface software and then the cloud’s network takes care of the rest
(Strickland). This caused many organizations to weigh out the advantages of
cloud computing.
Potential Benefits
There are many favorable benefits of cloud
computing in the healthcare field. One of the greatest benefits of cloud computing is
that it is cost effective. The
utilization of cloud computing will lower costs and speeds of their information
technology services. Cloud computing will lower the costs in the healthcare
industry by eliminating the purchase of software whenever there is a new hire
or purchasing new software to the network.
According to Hector Rodriquez, a Microsoft health industry chief
technology strategist says, “many health plans,
for example, are now consolidating or even downsizing their data centers
because under the new medical loss ratio requirement they just can't afford to
make those up front capital investments" (Marshall, 2012). Since
the cost of building data centers is expensive it would be cheaper to use the cloud computing’s
data centers as an alternative. Utilizing the cloud can result in lower energy
consumption, carbon footprint, and even less time and money spent on training
staff on how to work the server. Another benefit of cloud computing is its
services especially its pay for use which is a metered service so organizations
only pay for what they use, “the ‘pay as you go’ elasticity also brings the
advantage of absorbing bursts of traffic and high computing demand that might
occur from a fall flu-shot campaign or open enrollment, for example” (Marshall,
2012). The benefits of integrating cloud computing into the healthcare field ultimately
outweigh any security risks.
Legal and Ethical Issues
The
healthcare industry has been slow to adopt the use of cloud computing because
of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA).
HIPAA establishes the standards for healthcare information on electronic
billings and other processes. It also requires the protection and confidential
handling of protected health information (California Department of Health Care
Services). The healthcare industry has been wary of using the cloud because
they are afraid that the patient’s information will be compromised. However, if
the health industry “[utilizes] the cloud [they] can also facilitate
enforcement of encryption requirements,” since many cloud providers already
encrypt information which will make it harder for hackers to hack (Bendekgey,
2013). Doctors need access to patient data all the time, immediately and
reliably which is something that cloud computing can do.
Security Concerns
The biggest setback for the implementation of
cloud computing in the healthcare field is security. According to a recent IDCI survey (Clavister 2008), 74
percent of IT executives and CIOs stated that security is a
concerning issue in the cloud
computing environment. In the healthcare industry the protection and safety of
a patient’s medical record against hackers is of great concern. Since cloud
computing is handled mostly through the internet, any internet security problems will
affect the security of the cloud. Another concern with cloud computing is its
vulnerability to online attackers. There are two types of attacks; a cloud
malware injection attack and a flooding attack. In a cloud malware attack, the
attacker takes advantage of the metadata exchange and injects a virus. A
flooding attack takes place when an adversary creates bogus data and poses
requests and infiltrates the cloud computing system. These are some of the
security threats that hinder the application of cloud computing into the healthcare
industry, nonetheless the pros outweigh the cons.
Social Problems
Cloud
computing has limited social problems. The security factor is probably one of
the biggest social issues that hinders cloud computing. According to IBM's
Institute for Business Value 2010 Global IT Risk Study, cloud computing raised
serious concerns among respondents about the use, access and control of data:
77 percent of respondents believe that adopting cloud computing makes
protecting privacy more difficult; 50 percent are concerned about a data breach
or loss; and 23 percent indicate that weakening of corporate network security
is a concern (International Journal of
Micrographics & Optical Technology, 2010). These findings reiterate our society’s belief
in the importance of privacy.
Furthered Required Research
The biggest research question unanswered
concerns security. How can cloud computing be safer for organizations to trust
and use? Well, IBM has revealed new initiatives in the hopes of making cloud
computing safer for organizations. In order to make cloud computing safer, the
company has decided to assess the concerns and needs of their clients through
planning and assessments. They have divided there new plan into two parts. The
first part is planning and assessing the security strategies for cloud
computing. In this part, they will offer new securities to the companies. The
second part of this initiative will enhance security by providing access to
real-time traffic, and improving the speed of security initiatives. Another
furthered research question to consider is cloud computing and mobile devices.
Since cloud computing can be utilized anywhere and anytime just like our mobile
devices, this is a topic that should further be researched.
Conclusions
According
to Gallagher, "organizations are looking at cloud solutions for
cost savings, operational efficiencies and lower implementation risks,
including security risks," (Marshall, 2012). The health industry should
consider the adoption of cloud computing so they can lower their costs and help
their patients by having their information available anywhere and anytime. The
market for cloud computing is expected “to grow at a CAGR of 20.5 percent from
2012 to 2017 in healthcare” (Medical
Buyer, 2013). Overall, the benefits of cloud computing outweigh the
potential risks.
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