Azure is a cloud computing platform developed by Microsoft. The platform has dramatically changed the global IT scenario since its inception in 2009. It provides cloud computing services in more than 200 different fields, one of them being healthcare.
Since its inception, Azure has helped the healthcare sector is going through a series of rapid innovations. With these measures, the healthcare sector has managed to revolutionize itself in many ways, and some of them are as under:
Use of Azure in Adverse Situations
During adverse events like the Covid-19 pandemic, which struck the globe last year, the healthcare sector was among those which are significantly affected. In these situations, it is necessary to protect the healthcare sector from being overwhelmed. With the help of Azure, several healthcare providers in the United States have responded promptly during critical situations.
Centers for Disease Control (CDC) & Microsoft Healthcare Bot
Azure-powered Microsoft Healthcare Bot is an AI solution helping the US Centers for Disease Control, especially during the pandemic. This service has helped millions of people in assessing symptoms and risk factors. The service has also helped these people determine their next course of action (such as contacting a healthcare provider or ensuring the availability of someone who can provide in-person medical care.
Additionally, Microsoft Healthcare Bot has been helping the healthcare system in the following ways:
- Responding to patients’ inquiries
- Track exposure
- Providing the public with accurate information about the outbreak
- Triage of new cases, etc.
Delivery of Mental Health Services by NHS
The National Health Services based in the UK has used Microsoft Azure. The Greater Manchester Mental Health (GMMH) Trust leaders used cloud software to establish a seamless communication network with their patients. Due to the lockdown imposed in the country, the Trust could not deliver its services to its patients. Therefore, it made the use of cloud software to continue giving its IAPT therapy. This therapeutic regimen includes providing treatment to support people with mild, moderate, or severe symptoms of anxiety and depression.
How Microsoft Helped GMMH?
Before lockdown was imposed, around 5000 people were benefitting from face-to-face IAPT meetings. With the imposition of lockdown, the Trust started hosting 10,000 remote therapy sessions via Microsoft Teams.
Another software that was used in this process was Microsoft Surface. This software helped clinicians and support staff in digitalization and cloud management. The organization tends to grow further in this regard, as it plans to incorporate Microsoft Windows Virtual Desktop (WVD). Using these tools for remote communication will help the Trust in many ways. For example, it will reduce its costs, reduce maintenance efforts of physical clinical locations, and minimize its need for having a physical presence.
Azure in Health Insurance
Azure saw its use by Humana, a Kentucky-based health insurance provider. Azure helped Humana in gathering its 47 data sources and BI tools in one single place. Without Azure, a Humana client would have to wait for weeks, sometimes even for months, to hunt down a specific piece of information from Humana’s data archives.
But then, Humana planned to create common data sets that can be accessed through Azure Active Directory groups. These Directory Groups are part of Microsoft Azure Data Leak Storage. After this transition, Humana created cohesion among all of its clients’ data and tools.
Data Protection with the Help of the Cloud
Data breaches are becoming prevalent worldwide. To prevent its data from being hacked and stolen, one of America’s health networks, i.e., St. Luke’s University Health Network (SLUHN), shifted to cloud technology. SLUHN consists of 10 hospitals and 300 sites scattered across 10 counties in Pennsylvania and New Jersey. Across these sites, the SULHN had to manage more than a million different types of records. With conventional tools, data management at these places was a hefty task, but SULHN accomplished it by shifting to cloud technology.
Now, the Microsoft 365-backed digitalization is helping the network’s 15000 employees manage, protect, and optimize the information, along with the improved patient experience. In addition, Microsoft helped SLUHN adopt and implement security software enhancements in a period of fewer than four months.
Microsoft HoloLens for Children’s Care
Alder Hey is another NHS Foundation Trust based in the UK. The organization takes care of more than 270,000 children and families annually. Recently, the organization decided to use mixed-reality headsets in the operation theaters, with which the surgeon can get a better insight about the patient while performing surgery on him.
The medical data related to the patient is printed on sheets of paper. This information typically contains the reports and images of the patient’s CT scans, MRI scans, angiograms, blood reports, etc. During the procedure, the operating surgeon might want to review the information, which can be difficult, considering the nature of the procedure.
With the help of HoloLens, however, the surgeon will be able to get the information about the patient’s body part on which he Is performing the surgery in real-time. Furthermore, the HoloLens will transform all of this printed information into a hologram, which the surgeon can easily access, who would not have to use his hands in the process.
Need Microsoft Azure for your Company?
Alysidia is a global industry leader that provides healthcare companies with Azure, which has completely revolutionized the healthcare sector. If you are a healthcare company looking forward to incorporating Azure’s services, contact Alysidia today to get your Azure-powered cloud solutions.
