Many clinics are unaware of the advantages of storing electronic medical records in the cloud compared to local storage.

Numerous suppliers offer innovative solutions to improve communication, which also allows analysis, support, and quality care. Opting for cloud-based or locally stored tools is one of the most critical decisions a health provider can make. Because of this, knowing the challenges and opportunities offered by these types of systems is essential to determine which option best suits your clinical and financial needs.

What Does it Mean to Store Electronic Medical Record in the Cloud?

According to NIST, the cloud is a model that allows connected devices to have access to a network that offers a set of applications, servers, storage, and services over the Internet.

There are public, private, and hybrid clouds.

• Public clouds
• A public cloud is available for multiple clients. These can access the same hardware, services, and devices through an Internet connection.
• Users pay a flat fee to access data and computer resources. The provider controls the configuration of the data architecture, the security, and the availability of the services.
• The disadvantage of this cloud, although it is cheaper, is that it is more likely to suffer from problems related to data security.
• Private clouds
• A private cloud belongs to an external service provider where users have access to a server that is not shared with other entities. The provider has control of the administration and maintenance of the cloud.
• As a disadvantage, it could be said that maintenance can be costly for individual clinics.
• Hybrid clouds
• Finally, hybrid clouds function as a combination of a public and a private cloud. Users store confidential data and applications in a private cloud and use the public cloud to manage high volume and low-risk information.

Store Electronic Medical Records locally

The Electronic Medical Record systems of the local server are hosted locally and managed internally, without the participation of third parties.

This implies that health care organizations must hire experts in computer technology to maintain and monitor hardware and software.

They must also maintain security and take care of the controls. The infrastructure works on the local network connections of the clinic or medical organization.

Before deciding whether to store Electronic Medical Record in the cloud or locally, it is essential to know how each option aligns with your organizational priorities.

Considerations for opting for the cloud

1. Reduce costs
2. Storing Electronic Medical Record in the cloud is an attractive option for small hospitals and for those clinics that cannot afford local implementation or hire more staff.
3. This type of solution does not require a large capital outlay to invest in new hardware or internal storage systems.
4. MyClinic will have different monthly subscription options to use the software, which allows users to pay in small installments instead of disbursing a large amount to purchase hardware, software, and licenses.
5. Ease of implementation
6. The ease of implementation of Electronic Medical Records in the cloud is also an advantage for small organizations that cannot count on computer personnel to manage the implementation of the program in their facilities.
7. This reduces the stress caused by the implementation of this new system and increases the satisfaction of health service providers.
8. Increase in clinical productivity
9. A 2015 survey of clinics and small medical organizations obtained terrific data. The adoption of Electronic Medical Records in the cloud went from 60% in 2013 to 82% in 2015.
10. More than half of respondents noted that changing a local system to one in the cloud helped to improve clinical productivity.
11. Also, all companies that offer cloud services included in the survey received a score above 90% in terms of overall user satisfaction.
12. The indicators evaluated included performance, medical order entry (CPOE), support for clinical decisions, patient health data management, and communication skills.
13. Improvement in security
14. The security of cloud-stored technology has also improved in recent years.
15. While health care organizations have been cautious in the past of cloud technology security, the HIPPA law enacted in 2013 has brought significant advantages to the system.
16. Cloud service providers that store, receive, maintain or transmit protected health information for covered entities, such as health plans, providers, or health information exchange centers, must become business partners to comply with the regulations of the HIPAA and GDPR law.
17. This means that companies are contractually responsible for the protection of medical information when they store data in the cloud.

The advantages of storing Electronic Medical Record in the cloud

Determine the benefits of storing Electronic Medical Records in the cloud; it is necessary to analyze the local storage model again.

For large organizations, which can store data, maintain servers, and pay upfront costs, local storage systems are a familiar and reliable option.

Why do you choose to store the Electronic Medical Record locally?

First, the local storage system gives them control over how and where data is stored. This level of control also allows them to customize the software to adapt it to their specific needs.

Also, local storage allows access to patient health records without the need for an Internet connection.

However, these benefits come with a price. Some organizations had to make an initial investment of 100 million dollars to implement their Electronic Medical Records locally.

How to Choose an Electronic Medical Records Software which Suits Your Particular Needs.

Medical organizations and clinics looking for a cost-effective Electronic Medical Records solution can opt for offers in the cloud.

These do not require a substantial initial investment or the hiring of IT personnel to maintain and control the infrastructure or data security.

When choosing a local or cloud storage, this is the best option for a clinic or for other health providers.