COVID-19 Stresses Healthcare Data Storage Resources

Healthcare providers are coping with the unprecedented demands of the COVID-19 pandemic, along with treating their usual patients. On top of that, there’s the additional responsibility of assuring that a rapidly increasing volume of patient and business data is accessible and secure, as many IT staffers work from home.

With all these added responsibilities, “many [healthcare organizations] are beginning to find that their current data storage strategies and resources may not be sustainable,” said Matthew Jackson, a managing director and healthcare IT leader at global consulting firm Protiviti. “As a result, we continue to see an increase in the appetite for, and use of, cloud storage capabilities.”

The pandemic has also made efficient healthcare data sharing a priority. Such data, now often incorporating vast amounts of rich media — particularly video — requires seamless interoperability with electronic health record (EHR) systems. “Fortunately, our Azalea Health EHR checks the boxes as both a cloud-based and interoperable EHR solution,” said IT Admin Lead for The Los Angeles Downtown Medical Center, Dilip Niranjana Jay.