Is Your Head in the Cloud? Understanding the benefits of cloud-based computing

Plastic Surgery Practice published “Is Your Head in the Cloud? Understanding the benefits of cloud-based computing” by Dr. Tim A. Sayed, Medical Director of EMA Plastic Surgery and EMA Cosmetic. Here’s an excerpt:

Aesthetic doctors and their practice managers are increasingly exploring the benefits of moving their office workflows and clinical data into the proverbial “cloud,” but what is this cloud anyway?

Cloud is a catch-all term for a virtual world of remote servers that house privately held data. “Cloud computing” refers to the sharing of resources, software, information, and other data. In a nutshell, a cloud service exists off-site and is managed and maintained by the service provider. For example, Apple’s iCloud or Google’s GoogleDocs applications provide remote hardware storage of documents and other media, with a front-end browser to help you access them.

A cloud system can be a public cloud, a private cloud, or a virtual private cloud, among other models. A private cloud is operated solely for an individual organization. It is typically expensive to maintain with a large upfront investment. A private cloud is somewhat similar to the centralized server in many physicians’ offices. The main difference is that software and storage capacity are handled by the cloud server, not an individual machine.

To read the full article, visit Plastic Surgery Practice.