How you can save money moving to the cloud
Saving money where you can is generally considered to be a sensible move for any business, but it’s especially important for healthcare practices. As well as the general challenges that come with keeping a business viable, many practices are coping with the financial fallout of the pandemic. This includes reduced patient numbers, along with increasing requirements to upgrade their technology to handle more remote ways of working.
Moving to a cloud-based software platform can be a very effective way to save your practice money. Here are just a few of the costs you could save by embracing the cloud.
IT costs
With an on-premise solution, you need to pay for IT support in the form of maintenance, upgrades and troubleshooting problems. Over time, these costs can add up. With a cloud-based solution, everything is taken care of for you – there’s no installation process as the software is accessed online, upgrades are automatic and with no physical server, maintenance isn’t required.
Infrastructure
With the cloud you can often save money on infrastructure. Clinical software can be accessed from anywhere using the internet and a login – meaning you don’t need a different computer for each user, allowing staff to share computers or tablets.
Server
A server is a significant expense and if you’re using an on-premise software solution, you will need to buy, maintain and back up your server on a regular basis. With cloud-based software, there’s no need for a server as everything is hosted on an external server, and backups and security are all taken care of.
Efficiency gains
Cloud-based platforms are designed to be efficient and easy to use. This can lead to increased productivity for staff, which translates into the ability to see more patients, less downtime spent trying to figure out IT issues, and greater profitability for your practice.
Work from anywhere
One of the main benefits of cloud is extra flexibility. When your staff can work from anywhere, including their homes, you may be able to reduce other overheads like office space and electricity costs. The additional flexibility can help your staff balance their work and home lives and may lead to more engaged, happier and productive employees.
If you’re looking for a more flexible and cost-effective software solution for your practice, it might be time to step away from a remote desktop and consider a true cloud solution, such as MedicalDirector Helix. If you’re not sure how much you could potentially save by moving to cloud clinical software, try our calculator to find out.
