One of the largest components to consider regarding your PAC System is how to store all your patient digital images and related data. What are the three components of an ideal storage solution? Capacity. Reliability. Security. When choosing which storage option is best for your needs, keep these three components in mind.
Cloud Based Storage
A cloud based storage solution utilizes an off-site, on-line method of housing your data. The remote storage and image viewing option enables users to store and review patient files via the Internet. Typically, a cloud-based option is provided by your PAC System vendor, so the software and storage are designed to work together.
Incorporating cloud-based storage into your PACS has several benefits. It can remove upfront mitigated maintenance costs, improve the collaboration process, enable upgrades with minimal downtime, and provide enhanced security. Further, cloud-based storage eliminates the need for courier services to deliver the media copies to referring physicians and the constant worry of file corruption.
Cloud based storage is an easy, efficient, and ideal way to make back-up copies of your patients’ EHR, or electronic health records. These patient files are automatically streamed into the cloud as they are being created. If you choose to have this done on-line via the Internet, you must be sure the images are first encrypted for patient privacy before they are automatically transmitted to their back-up file location. Of course, the accessibility and ease of this option is dependent upon both the upload bandwidth and the volume of images. Some back-up systems also support images being stored locally and remotely on various off-line media.
Most cloud based storage plans adhere to HIPAA standards and can be used, as part of your disaster recovery plan, to back-up for all your patients’ files and medical images.
