Healthcare mistrusts cloud security

A new survey has indicated that healthcare organisations have yet to be convinced of the merits of cloud computing.

Only 33% of healthcare organisations said they planned to adopt a cloud storage strategy for any data over the next 12-24 months.

An overwhelming majority of respondents – more than 80% – reported that the most significant barrier is concern about security and availability of data.

Respondents also cited cost and a lack of conviction that cloud storage offers significant benefits when compared to local media.

The Data Management Healthcheck 2010 survey, carried out by BridgeHead Software, found only 6.5% of healthcare respondents said cloud storage is currently part of their strategy for storage of archived data.

The online survey was carried out in February and was designed to assess healthcare’s preparedness for the massive volume of data generated by the industry’s escalating reliance upon information technology.

Early findings specific to cloud storage were announced by BridgeHead at the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS) annual conference and exhibition in Atlanta last week.

"While preliminary, these results are very interesting and highly indicative of the industry’s rightful concern about the security of confidential and sensitive material," said Tony Cotterill, CEO of BridgeHead Software. "Second to delivering excellent care, healthcare leaders are committed to protecting any and all information pertaining to patients."

Although healthcare is proceeding cautiously, many experts anticipate that a cloud strategy will play an escalating role in data storage, backup and archiving. "Other industries are leading the way," said Cotterill. "They have discovered that including the cloud as an integral component of their overarching IT strategy offers a number of benefits, including increased efficiency, scalability and cost savings."

The survey will remain open during HIMSS and the World of Health IT (WoHIT) conference in Barcelona, Spain, March 15-18.

The survey can be completed at http://www.bridgeheadsoftware.com/hdm-survey.