Cloud migration: why is the UK healthcare industry falling behind?
In today's rapidly evolving digital landscape, cloud migration has emerged as a game-changer for numerous industries, including healthcare. In fact, the cloud computing market is projected to reach $70 billion by 2028.
Cloud migration involves moving databases, IT resources, and more to a cloud environment. By harnessing the potential of cloud technology, healthcare organisations in the UK have a unique opportunity to transform their operations, streamline processes, and improve accessibility, scalability and patient care.
Benefits of cloud migration in healthcare
Cloud migration offers critical advantages: enhanced accessibility and scalability of systems which leads to better, more comprehensive patient care.
Cloud-based systems allow healthcare professionals to access patient records and other vital information from anywhere, at any time, enabling more accurate diagnoses and personalised treatment plans. As patient data continues to increase exponentially, cloud platforms provide the necessary infrastructure to store and manage this information securely and at scale. This facilitates seamless collaboration and timely decision-making, which ultimately leads to improved patient outcomes and eliminates the need for costly infrastructure upgrades.
Why is cloud migration adoption still so slow?
Despite the evident benefits, the UK healthcare sector needs to catch up in adopting cloud migration. According to a “cloud maturity survey” conducted last year, only 11% of NHS trusts had migrated most of their applications and servers to the cloud.
One of the primary barriers to this is a lack of resources. Cloud migration requires significant investment in infrastructure, staff training, and system integration, which can be challenging for cash-strapped healthcare organisations. On top of this, interoperability and integration are ongoing challenges even without the added need for cloud migration, as healthcare technology often consists of disparate legacy systems that do not communicate effectively with each other. Cloud migration definitely provides an opportunity to create a unified infrastructure that seamlessly integrates various healthcare applications for smooth data exchange, but lack of resources is still an unavoidable issue.
Data security and patient privacy also remain paramount concerns. In fact, statistics indicate that more healthcare organisations operate traditional, non-cloud-enabled data centres and systems (27%) compared to any other industry. NHS trusts must ensure that robust security measures are in place to protect sensitive patient information from unauthorised access or breaches. Strict compliance with regulatory requirements, such as the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018, is essential to maintain patient trust and avoid legal consequences.
The future of the NHS: embracing cloud technology
To accelerate the shift to the cloud, it is crucial for NHS trusts to develop comprehensive cloud strategies.
An NHS Digital survey revealed that approximately 18% of respondents had a separate cloud strategy and were actively migrating their services. The survey also encouraged NHS trusts to review the central NHS Cloud Strategy and adapt it to their specific needs.
Additionally, guidance has been provided to help organisations assess their cloud implementation maturity and identify areas that require skill development. Free training resources from partner organisations are recommended for NHS staff seeking to enhance their cloud expertise.
Despite the conservative nature of some healthcare trusts and concerns surrounding data security and privacy, it is important to recognise that cloud providers have robust security measures and compliance protocols in place. With the NHS leading the charge and innovative solutions paving the way for effective data management, the stage is set for a brighter future in UK healthcare.