Participate in this poll about Cloud Computing

What do you think about Cloud Computing? Participate in this ReachMD poll about Cloud Computing and then make sure to listen to my segment on ReachMD as I share some of my thoughts:

Let’s discuss the topic of “Cloud Computing.” We’ve all heard this buzzword used in health care, but how well do you understand the concept? 

Let’s start with the metaphor of the cloud. The cloud is the Internet. When you’re computing in the cloud, you can open your applications through an Internet browser like Internet Explorer, Firefox, or Safari. Now think about this: One of the first things you do when you buy a new computer is install applications like Microsoft Office or your electronic health record software. What if you didn’t have to? Cloud Computing lets you access those applications through a single web browser.

Your files and data get stored on remote servers instead of on your computer. This has advantages and disadvantages. As long as you’re using a computer that’s connected to the Internet, you can access your files. If you lose your laptop, you haven’t lost any of your data. It’s all stored remotely, in the Cloud.

One of the pitfalls of Cloud Computing is that you’ll always need to be connected to the Internet. Another challenge revolves around the privacy and data security standards that are constantly evolving in the world of health IT. Some argue that your data is safer when it’s stored remotely.

There are pros and cons to storing your data locally versus remotely. You have to weigh what’s right for you and your practice.

There’s much more to discuss, but we’ve run out of time. For more on data security, health IT, and Cloud Computing, please visit my blog, medicine and technology dot-com. I'm Dr. Joseph Kim. Thanks for listening.