Cloud software can help you minimise costs and streamline IT maintenance processes, so you can focus on helping your patients and running your practice.
Here are five benefits of cloud software for medical practices:
1. Save on expensive IT maintenance costs
Running desktop software usually involves on-site servers, running your own backups, and ongoing IT maintenance costs with a third-party to ensure your practice’s hardware and software is kept up-to-date. With cloud software, IT maintenance is significantly minimised because there are no on-site servers required and no backups your practice needs to run.
This can help save you hundreds in IT maintenance costs because cloud software just needs the internet to operate – your cloud vendor will take care of the rest.
2. Reduce practice downtime or working after hours
With desktop software, most practices will upgrade after business hours in order to test software updates, often with the help of their IT adviser. This helps ensure there’s no associated loss of income or impact to the daily running of the practice if a software update doesn’t go as planned. Unfortunately, this will usually require you to work on top of clinic hours to facilitate each software update. This is a non-issue for cloud software which does not need to be ‘upgraded’ – updates are instantly accessible via your browser when the development team pushes these live.
3. It’s easy to get new staff started
With cloud software, setting up a new staff member is as simple as adding a new licence and setting up their login. Once this is done they’ll be able to access the cloud software via their browser. With desktop software, the program will need to be installed on their computer and you will need to ensure their computer, and every device in your practice running the software, is kept updated. The larger your practice, the more intensive software updates will be if you’re running desktop software, which can also significantly increase IT costs.
4. More flexibility on the go
Unlike desktop software where you need to use the computer with the software installed, all you need to use cloud software is an internet connection and a device. In many cases, cloud software can be used on your laptop, tablet and even your phone, so you can stay up-to-date while you’re away from your desk. This way, you’re no longer tied strictly to the walls of your practice, and you can stay updated while you’re getting a coffee or in transit. Depending on how you run your practice, it can also enable the ability to work from home, even if it’s just to finish clinical documentation or review financials.
Cloud software can also often be used internationally, although providers may have guidelines on which countries are approved for use in order to better protect your practice’s security.
5. Data security is managed by the software vendor
This can be a positive, depending on the precautions your cloud software provider takes to protect your practice’s data. This could end up being a negative if the cloud software providers are looking to cut costs by sending data overseas or not investing enough into data security. While the cloud software vendor is responsible for the digital storage of patient data, you will need to do your due diligence and be well informed about their security practices. If a software vendor stores data overseas or isn’t following industry best practices, this can leave them, and your practice, susceptible to threats.
At Magentus, all patient data is stored in secure, Australian data centres and no data ever goes offshore. Our software is also certified with an ISO27001 by SME Global, which means we are following best-practice security measures.
Please note, your practice will still be responsible for some aspects of security, such as keeping paperwork secure and destroying this responsibly, and protecting hardware using anti-virus software and regular updates.
Other considerations
If you’re set on moving to the cloud, there are of course other things you should consider, such as level of support available, how regularly software is updated and future roadmaps.
Want to learn more about the cloud?
- See how Gentu works
- Read our article on the different types of cloud software
If you have questions on moving your practice to the cloud, our team is here to answer them.
