
Article on cloud computing at Charité University Medicine
- TRANSFORMERS.health
- January 23, 2024
- GLOBAL TRANSFORMATION
- 0 Comments
Berlin, Germany – Charité has published its approach to implementing cloud computing in the “npj Digital Medicine” journal. The authors say this could be a potential model for other hospitals to introduce cloud solutions.
The study demonstrates how cloud computing was integrated into Charité’s existing Hospital Information System (HIS) without disrupting ongoing operations. This technology facilitates networking and data exchange between hospitals, enhancing diagnostic and treatment options through the use of large data sets. It also promotes more precise analysis of patient outcomes and provides feedback for therapeutic decisions.
The article emphasizes the importance of complying with data protection and security regulations when implementing cloud solutions. The authors discuss in detail the requirements of the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) as well as German federal and state law.
Charité’s cloud system complies with both GDPR and the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and is certified according to ISO 27001.
The study highlights that cloud computing is already being successfully used in various areas of healthcare, such as in the provision of telemedicine services, medical image analysis, and in supporting treatment decisions. Charité uses the UNITY platform for collecting Patient Reported Outcome Measures (PROMs) and Patient Reported Experience Measures (PREMs), as well as for AI-supported analysis of big data sets, such as pre- and postoperative images of the lumbar spine.
Separation of Personal Information and Medical Data
A key aspect of Charité’s approach is the separation of personal health information from medical data and strong data encryption. Data storage is securely managed on Charité’s local servers, with strict attention to storing as little personal information as possible.
The article also emphasizes the importance of cross-sector collaboration between hospitals, pharmaceutical, and medical device companies within the AIQNET consortium. This consortium aims to create an interoperable, data-based ecosystem for healthcare that offers both legal and technical security.
In conclusion, the authors state that cloud solutions are needed to keep pace with the rapid development of medicine, the dramatic increase in medical data volume, and the need for regional, national, and international interoperability. This approach could serve as a guideline for other institutions considering similar digital transformations.