Every step and IT decision along the way to a cloud-based EMR solution is critical to ensuring a seamless transition for those who keep and maintain medical records.
Chicago, Illinois (PRWEB) March 20, 2014
In 2014, cloud computing is expected to grow at a rate five times faster than other IT segments. But within the healthcare industry, many physicians and medical centers are still skeptical of using cloud solutions for electronic medical records (EMR).
To help healthcare organizations navigate the technology challenges involved with moving EMR to the cloud, Turing Group, an Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) provider, today introduced a new suite of services for physicians, hospitals and medical groups.
“In 2014, healthcare providers are in the final push to become compliant with ‘Meaningful Use’ regulations in order to maintain healthy levels of Medicare reimbursements,” said Eric Dynowski, CEO of Turing Group. “But to support Meaningful Use, providers need to invest in a technology backbone that can support it. For many, the most robust and cost-conscience approach will be a cloud solution.”
EMRs are only effective if medical practitioners use them, Dynowski added. “Every step and IT decision along the way to a cloud-based EMR solution is critical to ensuring a seamless transition for those who keep and maintain medical records.”
In addition, to help healthcare organizations analyze whether a cloud-based EMR solution meets its needs, Turing Group developed the following checklist:
Step 1: Inventory Assets. Whether a healthcare provider is looking to move an existing EMR to the cloud or to implement an entirely new solution, it is important to inventory existing assets and systems – from servers to the number of applications and devices that are supported.
Step 2: Outline and Assess EMR Needs. A small medical practice does not have the same needs from an application and infrastructure perspective as a large hospital network. Therefore, each organization – and those in between – must architect an EMR system that addresses unique and individualized circumstances.
Step 3: Integrate with Security in Mind. One of the major concerns with cloud-based EMR services is security and HIPAA compliance. However, when deployed correctly, cloud-based EMRs can be completely HIPAA compliant and are often more secure than paper records and EMRs hosted on a local server.
Step 4: Train Users on Functionality and Security. Human error is often the root cause of data breaches and reporting errors. Once the system is deployed, healthcare companies should make sure each employee is fully trained on its functionality, and aware of how their actions can impact the system’s security.
Step 5: Maintain and Frequently Update Systems. Simply deploying a cloud-based EMR system is not enough. The system needs to be tended to and updated, not only so it can run smoothly and effectively, but to ensure that the healthcare company’s systems remain compliant with ever-changing regulations.
“Healthcare organizations should embrace the security and convenience of the cloud – just as government, finance and technology organizations have,” Dynowski notes. “By following these steps, healthcare organizations and providers will determine whether a cloud-based EMR is the right solution, as well the best way to design and deploy it.”
For help implementing EHRs in the cloud or traditional server environment, please visit emr.turinggroup.com.
About Turing Group
Turing Group is an IT Infrastructure-as-a-Service provider that helps companies achieve great things in the cloud.