Cloud computing has found its way into just about every business sector, including those that have been conservative about technologies in the past. Healthcare is one such sector, as large-scale reform efforts are being fueled, in part, by cloud systems. According to a recentTransparency Market Research study,cloud computing's role in healthcare will rise at a meteoric pace during the next few years.
Understanding the scale of cloud growth in healthcare
The study found that the global value of the cloud market in healthcare was approximately $1.8 billion in 2011. This represents only a dip into the shallow end of cloud computing in care settings. Moving forward, healthcare organizations will move so deeply into cloud that thesector will expand by a compound annual growth rate of approximately 21.3 percent from 2012 to 2018. In2018, the global value of the cloud industry in healthcare will reach almost $6.8 billion.
The increase in cloud spending stems largely from general industry trends that are common across many regions.
Looking at the healthcare sector's operational climate
The news source explained thatconsistently rising servicecosts fueled major growth in healthcare. The value of the industry has risen considerably in recent years,as care has become more expensive. This led to a problem in which care is so costly that reform efforts have to be made, especially as large segments of the population age and the need for superior care grows in many areas. Global economic problems have not helped in this area as well, as funding limitations have limited how much hospitals can invest in innovative technologies and care solutions. The cloud has the potential to serve as a major reliefformany of the problems in the healthcare market.
Transparency Market Research explained that cloud computing is a technology built around the ability to deliver advanced technological functionality in a flexible and cost-effective way, making it a natural fit for healthcare industry needs.
Considering BPM solutions
As healthcare providers adjust to the cloud, they have to deal with a new operational reality that involves aligning cloud and mobile data systems with physician operations. Business process management software can play a major role in making this happen because the technology integrates various IT systems to ensure thatend users get access to the information they need and do not have to sift through unnecessary data to provide care.
Ben Farrell
Director of Corporate Communications
