Cloud Solution Implementation for Health Service Executive
Introduction
For this project we have been asked by the Health Service Executive in Ireland to suggest a cloud solution for migrating some of their current IT infrastructure to the cloud. They have also discussed with us the possibility of establishing an electronic health records (ERH) system and migrating patients’ medical records to the cloud. The adoption of Cloud Computing is a relatively new idea to the health industry and so far few National Health Services have adopted this due to the security risk issues associated with patients’ data and the difficulty of finding a suitable provider that can ensure the service will be available 24/7 365 days a year, however according to Health Insight Conference held in 2010 in the USA “the health care industry remains hesitant about using cloud computing services, but the shift is inevitable”. There are many advantages that the HSE would gain from adopting this service, however evaluation of these advantages is necessary in order to conclude if these advantages will out way and facilitate the major risk of security and compliance with the Data Protection Act 1988 & 2003. According to a report in 2011 by CSC, a global provider of technology-enabled business solutions and services the following are some of the “promises” that the Health Industry could gain but need evaluating, they also provide reasons to why these promises are not completely true. 1. Cloud Computing can save money
Cloud computing can help save money, as the costs are shifted from capital expenditure to operational expenditure which can help cash flow. However adopting cloud computing can also cost more, depending on how much storage is needed and how long each application is running for.
2. Performance in the Cloud is as good, if not better
The truth of this promise, depends on whether the cloud is a public or private cloud and also if the cloud is on or off premises. Cloud latency is a critical factor. It can be tolerable for
For this project we have been asked by the Health Service Executive in Ireland to suggest a cloud solution for migrating some of their current IT infrastructure to the cloud. They have also discussed with us the possibility of establishing an electronic health records (ERH) system and migrating patients’ medical records to the cloud. The adoption of Cloud Computing is a relatively new idea to the health industry and so far few National Health Services have adopted this due to the security risk issues associated with patients’ data and the difficulty of finding a suitable provider that can ensure the service will be available 24/7 365 days a year, however according to Health Insight Conference held in 2010 in the USA “the health care industry remains hesitant about using cloud computing services, but the shift is inevitable”. There are many advantages that the HSE would gain from adopting this service, however evaluation of these advantages is necessary in order to conclude if these advantages will out way and facilitate the major risk of security and compliance with the Data Protection Act 1988 & 2003. According to a report in 2011 by CSC, a global provider of technology-enabled business solutions and services the following are some of the “promises” that the Health Industry could gain but need evaluating, they also provide reasons to why these promises are not completely true. 1. Cloud Computing can save money
Cloud computing can help save money, as the costs are shifted from capital expenditure to operational expenditure which can help cash flow. However adopting cloud computing can also cost more, depending on how much storage is needed and how long each application is running for.
2. Performance in the Cloud is as good, if not better
The truth of this promise, depends on whether the cloud is a public or private cloud and also if the cloud is on or off premises. Cloud latency is a critical factor. It can be tolerable for
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