I love how quickly technology propels us all forward. Ten years ago, talk of the cloud was confined to weather reports, or when you played that game where you point at clouds and name what objects they look like.
Now, cloud technology is helping us with everything from increased data security to managing and delivering benefits.
According to Bethesda, Md.-based WellNet Healthcare Group, “cloud-based technology is revolutionizing the health benefits space by allowing unprecedented levels of collaboration among employees, employers and healthcare providers,” says Keith Lemer, WellNet president. The firm recently inked a partnership with software developer Healthcare Interactive to manage health benefits for all of HCI’s nearly 300 clients in a cloud-based environment.
According to the CDW 2011 Cloud Computing Tracking Poll (who knew such a poll existed?), less than one-third of health care organizations use the cloud to power their operations. But this small group of companies has been able to generate big savings — an average of 20% each year.
Definitely something to consider come renewal time, no?
Cloud technology, Lemer says, allows plans to “deliver in-depth analysis of … employer clients’ health care data without compromising patients’ privacy — and then implement proven solutions to help them slash their health expenses. Employers are quickly seeing that cloud-based analytics are far more cost-effective than conventional site-based approaches.”
So, what do you think? Is your carrier in the cloud? Is a plan’s use of cloud technology something that would strongly influence you in making health benefit decisions? Share your thoughts in the comments.
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4 Comment(s)
Posted by: Rishi r | April 11, 2012 3:05 AM
We will soon enter a phase when cloud computing would provide us with better solutions. For business ventures this is helping with data management and data security. In this age of network hacking, having access to Network Security apt solution assumes great significance.
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Posted by: Prabir B | March 13, 2012 7:13 AM
This is absolutely true. Cloud computing technology has proven itself to be really beneficial for this sector. So basically now most companies resort to cloud solution. If you think it is too costly measure then you could try out Cheap Cloud Server.
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Posted by: Linda Riddell | November 4, 2011 7:33 AM
What difference does it make whether cloud technology or some other software is used to analyze the data? Without insight into the data, any effort will come to naught. I like the emphasis on analysis and proven solutions. But unless the cloud magically connects the data to the human beings who are creating it, I don't see why it is the huge advantage this article alleges.
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Posted by: Simplicity | November 3, 2011 2:33 PM
Happy to see others are beginning to understand the big savings of online "cloud" applications. Simplicity Health Plans parent company has been "in the cloud" for the last 17 years. We like what we see happening in the healthcare space. Simplicity now has predictive tools to be used in "cloud" formation that can actually project future costs based on the overall health circumstances of a company's employees. These types of technology discussed in this article and applied in this space will save employers millions of dollars each year and become the most efficient way of organizing data so that it can be acted upon in a timely and reasonable fashion. Gregory J. Hummer, MD CEO Simplicity Health Plans
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