Australian residential aged and community care providers are looking to technology to reduce in-person administrative tasks and simplify processes amid the COVID-19 pandemic. One form of technology that may be particularly helpful for providers is moving their systems to the cloud. Below we outline seven reasons why moving clinical, care and business software to the cloud is benefiting residential aged care and community care providers.
1. Cost effective solution
When a residential aged or community care provider decides to implement or update a software system, the running requirements often require the need to purchase new infrastructure or upgrade servers. By utilising cloud-based software, the barriers to entry can be greatly reduced as there is no longer a need for expensive server infrastructure.
2. Unique Microsoft experience
Telstra Health’s residential aged and community care software utilises the Microsoft Azure platform, which offers a wealth of cloud services, including data management, web applications, infrastructure services, development and virtual machine testing, storage, backup, and recovery services. Azure data centres include geographically redundant regions in New South Wales and Victoria, and ensures data is stored securely within Australia.
3. Secure data storage
Microsoft allocates $1 billion each year to cybersecurity and employs a team of 3,500 dedicated security engineers. Especially for small and medium aged and community care providers, moving to a cloud platform can represent a security upgrade by shifting to modern, enterprise grade security solutions.
4. Regular upgrades without the downtime
With cloud hosting, software vendors are able to schedule small updates regularly with little or no impact on the user. These updates are done in the cloud, without the constraints of traditional deployment. With the ability to perform minor updates on a regular basis, cloud computing keeps software current; without the time and training associated with a full upgrade implementation.
5. Fast implementations
In selecting a cloud-based software solution, aged and community care providers do not require the same level of hardware or human resources as there is no installation process, which can result in a reduction in cost and time. With cloud-based software, the advantages of the system can be felt sooner, so that care providers can concentrate their time and resources on providing support to care recipients, not on lengthy installations.
6. Reduced cost of ownership
A cloud-hosted option provides the ability to perform software updates without the financial and time constraints of a full upgrade implementation. The costs associated with purchasing, managing and upgrading traditional servers and related hardware can go beyond what some aged care providers can realistically afford. By utilising cloud-based software, aged and community care providers can help eliminate the operating costs associated with large scale servers, such as expert staff and large energy consumption bills.
7. Future proof your investment
Running a software solution in the cloud can eliminate some long term on-premise hosting requirements, such as the need for new infrastructure or server upgrades. Technology is changing rapidly, so this is a significant aspect to consider as new software versions may require further infrastructure investment.
