Cloud Computing in Healthcare

The insight gained through analyzing and interpreting large and complex data sets has driven progress in biomedical research and healthcare-related technology. Desktop computers, high-performance workstations, and computing systems are currently the basis of this task. (1) Recently, cloud computing, enabled by the broad adoption and increasing capabilities of the internet, has emerged as a powerful approach to solving some computational and data storage problems.

Cloud Computing

Cloud computing is defined as a network of distributed computing on a large scale that computes through highly available, dynamically configurable/reconfigurable, and scalable resources.  According to the definition offered by the National Institute of Standard and Technology (NIST), it is a self-service to a user which is provided on-demand; it can have access to a broad network where elasticity and scalability of resources are rapid; provides pooling of resources at a multi-tenant level; and services can be measured through a manageable, monitored, and controlled transparency system. (2) In simpler terms, it means using an interconnected grid of computers to share resources and using the internet as an interface while working on a pay-per-use model. 

Types of Cloud Computing

NIST classifies clouds into four types: public, private, community, and hybrid. (1) 

Public cloud: the infrastructure exists on the cloud provider’s premises and is managed by the cloud provider. Examples include Amazon Web Services (AWS), Google Cloud Platform (GCP), and Microsoft Azure.

Private cloud: the infrastructure can exist on or off the premises of the cloud provider but is managed by a private organization. 

Community cloud: a collaborative effort where infrastructure is shared between several organizations with standard security and compliance requirements.

Hybrid cloud: a composition of 2 or more distinct cloud infrastructures that remain unique entities but are bound together to enable the portability of data and software applications.

Cloud Computing Services

Software as a Service (SaaS) enables the consumer to use the cloud provider’s applications (e.g., Google Docs) running on a cloud provider’s infrastructure. Platform as a Service (PaaS) enables consumers to create or acquire applications and tools and to deploy them on the cloud provider’s infrastructure. Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) allows consumers to provide processing, storage, networks, and other fundamental computing resources. (2) 

Cloud Computing in Healthcare

Cloud computing applications in the medical-related field include telemedicine/teleconsultation, medical imaging, guided therapeutics, public health assessment, patient self-management, hospital management, information systems, and secondary use of data.  

A couple of challenges with this system include : 

• Availability of cloud-based health and medical care organizations.
• Reliability of data and service.
• Management of great amounts of medical data.
• Flexibility and Scalability of the cloud-based healthcare system.

References

1. https://rb.gy/lgyeoi 2. https://rb.gy/qyyofl