Is the medical field as technically advanced as we think?
Amazingly as while researching how cloud affects certain sectors I discovered the medical field has been slow in migrating to cloud computing. This can be related to the conservative viewpoints and the question of privacy and security. Most records of patient information are still being kept in file cabinets and handled manually by trained personnel. Just think how daily operations will become more efficient with the full migration to cloud computing. The slow to change industry has began to pick up since 2011 when a few IT providers began to use some form of the cloud.Do you think these providers are setting a new standard for the medical field? The pros definitely outweigh the cons. The easy access of information to physicians and health care providers can help with response time to emergency situations and diagnosis. With the real time information at hand situations that can be detrimental can be avoided. Say for example a physician receives real time information on a patient's health right to there phone. If a notification is received that a sudden change has occurred in the patient's health immediate action could be taken to prevent further problems. The quick access to medical records can help with diagnosis and possible connections of illnesses. With paper files they can easily be damaged, stolen or lost. Converting to a cloud all critical information can be protected and accessed only by those who are authorized. With the correct security measures and proper training many lives can be saved and benefited. What if your loved ones life depended on the time of response to a change in health?Link : http://www.formtek.com/blog/?p=4111
Source:
Weisinger, Dick. "Healthcare Cloud Computing." Formtek. N.p. 23 Oct 2013. Web. 2 Nov 2013.
There are some very serious cons to electronic records. The lack of a paper back up makes the system vulnerable to computer problems or extended power outages. There are some doctors who don't trust them either. Here is an interesting article. http://www.nytimes.com/2012/10/09/health/the-ups-and-downs-of-electronic-medical-records-the-digital-doctor.html?pagewanted=2&_r=0
ReplyDeleteI'm surprised to learn that the health care system has been slow to adopt cloud computing, especially considering how advanced this system is in terms of medical technology. I am glad to see that the system is slowly transferring its data to the cloud and think that having faster access to these records will definitely benefit the patients. In response to your comment John, could they not also have the paper records as backup in the event that the system fails?
ReplyDeleteI feel the health care industry is slow to move to the cloud because they want to honor patient privacy and maintain consumer confidentiality. With paper records, someone would have to physically steal the information. With records in the cloud, the data is not only vulnerable to power outages and computer problems like John mentioned, but also third party hackers or viruses that could steal or damage the information. I agree the efficiency the cloud could bring to the industry is pivotal; however, I feel safer with delay if it means patient records are secure from internal and external forces.
ReplyDeleteVery INTERESTING article, it is a complete shock to me that the health care industry is so behind in technology. I would be very angry if I lost my loved one because the nurses/doctors had the information needed to cure him lost in the incorrect file. Hopefully, they will quickly convert the information in the hospitals to computers and begin using the cloud because their will always be more pros than cons.
ReplyDeleteIt's hard to think that the medical field is slower than any other to adopt to the new age of technology. I can see where privacy would become an issue, but I would feel more comfortable knowing that my information was in a computer system that was only accessible to a select few as opposed to lying around somewhere in a filing cabinet.
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