Is Your Practice Head in the Cloud? Perhaps It Should Be

1. Introduction

The term Cloud is used as a metaphor for the internet. In the past, a line drawing of a Cloud represented the telephone network in a flowchart; in the early days of networking computers, IT geeks used a line drawing of a Cloud to represent where data were stored over the virtual memories of networked computers. Later, the line Cloud was the depiction of the internet in computer network diagrams. Basically, it is an abstraction of the underlying infrastructure of the location where applications, data, and software reside. Typically, Cloud computing providers deliver common business applications accessed through a local computer through the web from an external server where the software and data are stored.

Accessibility, availability, and scalability are the salient features of Cloud computing. Levels of computing from infrastructure through platform to software are outsourced to companies with large banks of servers and IT professionals who manage them. These services are readily accessible through any web-enabled computing device. They are available anywhere that you can connect to the internet. The capacity to increase and decrease use time with your business needs is available on a fee for service basis. It does not require large investitures to grow or wasted capacity, which is an expense during company slow times.

Cloud computing allows efficient access to medical history and records in the field. Real-time availability to core medical and lab processes, radiology/ imaging, and clinical information to every practitioner in the practice establishes a quality and consistency of care difficult to obtain today unless the horse gets seen by the same individual.

Instantly sharing diagnostic impressions, treatment results, and images with owners can result in better decision-making and more informed treatment choices. Collaborative work with remote veterinarians or specialists is enhanced by timely access to X-rays, videos, images, and test results. This information can be viewed simultaneously in Cloud conferences. The potential for practitioners to be involved in scientific clinical research from remote locations becomes a viable option.

Accounting, word processing, and office management tasks easily migrate to the Cloud. Many businesses bold enough to make the shift to the Cloud are still risk-averse enough to want to stick with tried, tested, and familiar technologies rather than navigate unknown waters with relatively new Cloud offerings. Although many of the Cloud’s business offerings are improving quickly, some small businesses are not yet ready to commit to unfamiliar software. The growth to online accounting and word processing packages will be slower. Most of us do not use all of the attributes bundled into the accounting or office software packages that we currently use in our work. There are a variety of options that apply to a wide range of business needs so that the complete package can be sold at a substantial price to almost every consumer. The stripped down Cloud versions may ultimately become more the standard than the exception.

The way that medicine is practiced is being changed by access to collaborative thinking and timely transfer of information that is currently not even considered in today’s practice. With webcams, video conferencing, and advances in technological equipment and monitoring devices, the use of the virtual veterinary visit cannot be ignored. The first passes at the process will likely be cumbersome and restricted. However, the use of the business trend may not be too much of a stretch, because we will all become more comfortable with the strengths and weaknesses of virtual medicine.

This presentation will analyze costs, benefits, and problems with Cloud computing.

2. What Is Cloud Computing?

Wikipedia defines Cloud computing as “software, data access, and storage services that do not require end-user knowledge of the physical location and configuration of the system that delivers the services.” Rather than owning six networked computers, six sets of office and practice software, six internet connections, a server, back-up system, phone contracts, library, medical records storage, imaging storage, etc.

If you have used e-mail, retrieved cell phone messages, played internet video games, banked online, own a website, read an ebook, or purchased something from Amazon, you have used the Cloud. All of these services are available, because large companies have developed consumer products on the web that did not exist a generation ago. In the process, they have made access to these online experiences intuitive, easy, convenient, relatively inexpensive, and immediate. The Cloud has already changed the way that we consume.

Cloud Computing for Small Businesses

For small businesses, including service businesses such as large-animal veterinary practices, Cloud computing hits a particular sweet spot. With Cloud services, small businesses reap the benefits of not having to invest in physical infrastructure like file and e-mail servers, storage systems, or office management software. The anywhere and anytime availability of Cloud technology solutions means hassle-free collaboration among veterinarians in the field, office personnel, clients, and referral consultants simply by a browser. Aside from a locally installed device operating system and browser, much of a practitioner’s technology and communications needs can be fulfilled by Cloud-based offerings. Cloud computing is helping to shape today’s truly mobile workforce. Although you work locally, you communicate and collaborate globally.

Each requires initial investment, updating, servicing, training, downtime, and restoration costs; all that is necessary to access Cloud computing is a laptop or mobile device and an internet connection. The lack of internet connectivity in your mobile practice area is a deal breaker for participation in the web 2.0 computing while on the road. However, it remains a viable discussion for an office where broadband connectivity is presently available for the practice.

In Practical Terms, What Accessible Services Are Out There?

ExplainingComputers.com’s white board presentation: three reasons to Cloud compute (http://www. youtube.com/watch?v=SgujaIzkwrE&feature=relmfu) clarifies the layers of Cloud computing.

Some Terms Useful for Understanding Cloud Services

Infrastructure as a service (IaaS) is a model in which an organization outsources all of the equipment used to support its operations, including storage, hardware, servers, and networking components. The service provider owns the equipment and is responsible for housing, running, and maintaining it. The client typically pays on a per-use basis. IaaS is currently being used by drug companies, hospital systems, telephony companies, and utilities.

IaaS provides users with additional computing power whenever they require it. For instance, if a retailer has a short-term need to process a high volume of point of sale (POS) transactions on the Friday after Thanksgiving, applications can be set up to share the processing across additional computers as necessary. The Boston Marathon site traffic is fairly stable 10 mo of the year. However, during the month of registration and the month of the race, there is huge demand and traffic on the site. Without planned extra capacity, the site would crash when most people are attending to it.

Platform as a service (PaaS) is the designers’ playground. PaaS targets developers and facilities deployment of applications without the cost and complexity of buying and managing the underlying hardware and software and provisioning hosting capabilities, providing all of the facilities required to support the complete life cycle of building and delivering web applications and services available entirely from the internet. [...]