A swarm of healthcare orgs are turning to the cloud for their radiology needs
A significant portion of healthcare organizations are migrating to the cloud for their image viewing and storage needs, according to the latest analysis from KLAS.
The new Imaging in the Cloud 2024 report highlights organizations’ imaging needs related to the cloud, strategies for implementation, perceptions of imaging vendors’ cloud solutions, and more. Of the 228 organizations interviewed for the report, nearly two-thirds are already using the cloud for image viewing and storage or intend to start within the next three years.
Some of the report’s key findings are as follows:
63% of organizations with cloud software intend to increase their use of it in the coming years, while another 32% have plans to maintain their current use.
Three-fourths of the larger organizations surveyed signaled they plan to up their viewing utilization. Previously, most had used it for storage only. This growth is expected to be significant.
Cloud solutions are currently being utilized for long-term storage and disaster recovery applications the most, though PACS services are close behind.
Though most healthcare organizations interviewed for the report are utilizing (or plan to use) cloud solutions, these investments come with concerns, co-authors Monique Rasband and Sidney Tate note.
“Many organizations are realizing the cloud is more expensive or the same cost as on-premises solutions; these organizations say their ROI comes from other channels such as more standardization in deployments, better ability to adopt new technology as it is developed, and decreased IT burden.”
High costs and risks related to privacy and cybersecurity were the top concerns for around 39% of organizations surveyed, while having the bandwidth to support the cloud was a worry for 32%. Cloud performance and vendors’ ability to support deployment were also highlighted as potential pitfalls.
The report suggests each of these concerns should be addressed when organizations are speaking with vendors not just regarding what cloud solutions they provide, but also the sort of guidance their investment will garner.
The KLAS report offers detailed insight into vendor specific cloud offerings, as well as how organizations rate the quality of their services.
To learn more about how cloud solutions vendors currently in the market rank among users, the full report can be purchased here.
In addition to her background in journalism, Hannah also has patient-facing experience in clinical settings, having spent more than 12 years working as a registered rad tech. She joined Innovate Healthcare in 2021 and has since put her unique expertise to use in her editorial role with Health Imaging.