Healthcare Cloud Computing Outlook, Global, 2016–2021

The global market for healthcare cloud computing—revenue generated by cloud computing services offered to providers—will be worth just under $10 billion by 2021 primarily driven by the need for storage of the exponentially increasing volume of healthcare data. However, volume is only the beginning of the story; healthcare data in rapidly increasing in terms of complexity, sources, and applications—all of which render the potential to develop new and innovative solutions that leverage cloud platforms. Current cloud applications among healthcare providers are dominated by non-clinical, back-office functions, especially those supporting information technology (IT) workflows. However, there is a definite peak in adoption of cloud-based clinical applications and in the next five years, key opportunities for cloud platforms will be storage, management, and analytics of imaging data; health information continuity through electronic medical records (EMRs), electronic health records (EHRs), and health information exchanges (HIEs); and telehealth solutions, especially teleradiology and virtual consultations.

One major industry game-changer will be real-world data. The volume of unstructured medical and health data that is generated outside of clinical settings is growing exponentially while the need for such data sets is even direr among providers, pharmaceuticals, medical technology vendors, governments, and university researchers. Growing awareness of the benefits of open platforms and increasing industry focus on interoperability and collaborative solution design is creating a heavy demand for vertically integrated cloud platforms that open the data to multiple stakeholders who are willing to share the risks and the rewards of shared data assets. Technology vendors will introduce cloud-based digital ecosystems that enable sharing and better utilization of IT and human resources in the next five years.

At the heart of these healthcare industry innovations are some fundamental shifts in the perception of cloud solutions globally. Cloud, which was once thought to be an unknown and uncertain IT environment, is now believed to be more secure than on-premise infrastructure and has proven to have better outcomes when it comes to data back-up and disaster recovery. Increasing confidence in cloud platforms, combined with the need to reduce cost, improve workflow speed and efficiency, and to leverage meaningful business intelligence is paving way for hybrid cloud adoption—especially among developed markets. Thus, we see that there have been some extremely dramatic shifts in the way providers think of and use cloud platforms in the last few years, which will create opportunities for innovations in care delivery processes and models in the near future.

Key questions this study will answer:
·     How has the market for cloud solutions for healthcare providers changed in the last few years? What will be the growth opportunities in the next five years?
·     Who are the current market participants? Are they well positioned to meet customer needs?
·     How have customer expectations and buying behavior changed in the last few years? How will it evolve in the near future?
·     What are the new business models in healthcare being introduced or facilitated by cloud technologies?
·     What are some innovative, industry-specific solutions being introduced using cloud platforms? How do these impact current healthcare industry paradigms?
·     How will care delivery ecosystems evolve using cloud technologies? Read Less