A Model for Examining Challenges and Opportunities in Use of Cloud Computing for Health Information Systems

Abstract

Health Information Systems (HIS) are becoming crucial for health providers, not only for keeping Electronic Health Records (EHR) but also because of the features they provide that can be lifesaving, thanks to the advances in Information Technology (IT). These advancements have led to increasing demands for additional features to these systems to improve their intelligence, reliability, and availability. All these features may be provisioned through the use of cloud computing in HIS. This study arrives at three dimensions pertinent to adoption of cloud computing in HIS through extensive interviews with experts, professional expertise and knowledge of one of the authors working in this area, and review of academic and practitioner literature. These dimensions are financial performance and cost; IT operational excellence and DevOps; and security, governance, and compliance. Challenges and drivers in each of these dimensions are detailed and operationalized to arrive at a model for HIS adoption. This proposed model detailed in this study can be employed by executive management of health organizations, especially senior clinical management positions like Chief Technology Officers (CTOs), Chief Information Officers (CIOs), and IT managers to make an informed decision on adoption of cloud computing for HIS. Use of cloud computing to support operational and financial excellence of healthcare organizations has already made some headway in the industry, and its use in HIS would be a natural next step. However, due to the mission′s critical nature and sensitivity of information stored in HIS, the move may need to be evaluated in a holistic fashion that can be aided by the proposed dimensions and the model. The study also identifies some issues and directions for future research for cloud computing adoption in the context of HIS.