All about cloud-based EHR systems in healthcare

Defining cloud-based EHR systems and why they matter in healthcare IT

The term “cloud technology” has evolved through the years. We might think of the cloud in the context of photos and videos on our mobile phones – or something that houses shared documents for every member of a business organization. But cloud-based technologies are expanding across different industries, including healthcare.

What is cloud computing?

Generally, “cloud computing” refers to accessing and working with content housed at a shared online location, rather than on a personal disk drive or local server. All software and information are stored exclusively on an online network (referred to as being "in the cloud") with the Internet as the point of access for all users.

The nature and number of users who can access that software and information in the cloud is securely controlled. Those security parameters are constantly encrypted so that new updates to the server are not only streamlined across the network but also maintaining that level of control.

Compared to conventional solutions such as installed software, cloud computing is uniquely defined by these characteristics:

• On-demand self-service: Any resources, from vital business functions to basic e-mail, are available to all users at practically any time
• Agility: Upgrades can be made and applied across the network on one instance of software
• Broad network access: Availability is ensured, since access is not dependent on location and can be done via a standardized device, like a PC or tablet
• Resource pooling: Many can use the network at one time, accessing the same tools and functions
• Rapid elasticity: Compared to a traditional computing infrastructure, a cloud-based network can easily scale, accommodating and responding to a rapid increase in the number of users and spikes in demand

The scalability and agility of a cloud service is important for health information technology (HIT) – especially as it pertains to serving an interoperable platform.

What is a cloud-based electronic health record (EHR)?

In a cloud-based EHR, all software and clinical data is stored, shared and updated in the cloud, providing medical practices with benefits that traditional electronic medical record (EMR) software systems can't deliver.

With a conventional software platform, information is "siloed," usually limited to users that are in the same physical location as the software and servers. As is the case with other cloud-based services, however, EHR systems on a cloud deploy platform- and data-related updates for all practices on the network.

So, why are EHR systems like athenaOne® cloud-based? Aside from some things like resource pooling, the expanding uses of AI have amplified the agility and scalability elements of cloud-based systems, especially as it pertains to patient data.

The scalability and agility of a cloud service is important for HIT technologies – especially as it pertains to serving an interoperable platform.

Cloud-based, AI-native athenaOne

Recent efforts to standardize interoperability, like those set forth by the Trusted Exchange Framework and Common Agreement (TEFCA), help to expand data flow across EHR systems. An AI-native EHR system can help operationalize data flow by instantly deploying updates for providers on the network. 

athenaOne combines a true SaaS architecture with network-wide learning that leverages a strong data foundation referred to as the Advanced Intelligence Layer. Now, with native AI at the core of the cloud-based EHR, that foundation is continuously reinforced for all practices on the platform.

An AI-native solution like athenaOne works as an intelligent partner to consistently update data so that it’s more usable across the platform. This has several different implications for practices on the network:

• Cloud-based EHR systems allow for all practices on the network to benefit from any updates – meaning new AI capabilities roll out to all customers through the existing release process because of the cloud-native modern architecture.
• The ability to aggregate and structure data from disparate sources, then make it readily available for clinicians, helps reduce the need to click through the EHR or patient charts.
• Native AI enables AI-powered tools within clinical workflows to act on the data – with generative AI tools in athenaOne eventually having the capability to provide summaries of care events, and AI clinical aides offering an outlet for clinicians attempting to make sense of the data or initiate patient follow-ups.
• Similarly, predictive models like the forthcoming Clinically Inferred Diagnosis tool will be able to help surface context-aware recommendations that link to evidence based on patient data that is continuously updated by native AI.
• In terms of revenue cycle management (RCM), an AI-native, cloud-based EHR can help enable end-to-end automation of the revenue cycle. It also means every payer update, every clean claim, and every denial resolution helps strengthen the platform in real time.
• Since athenaOne supports Individual Access Services (IAS), patients themselves can gain from heightened visibility into updated health records.

Having data and capabilities updates continuously deployed across a single, cloud-based system can help elevate the collective healthcare ceiling through improved care coordination without the administrative headache or need for additional integrations.

An EHR system that can help practices grow

The healthcare landscape continues to evolve and change with the times, and the same is true of HIT technologies. With headwinds from AI adoption rising to the forefront, it’s increasingly important for practices to have a HIT solution they can trust.

At athenahealth, we provide a cloud-based EHR system that amplifies ease of use and helps practices adapt on the fly. Now, with our vision for an AI-native EHR, we’re committed to finding ways to help practices grow while reducing administrative burden so clinicians can focus on practicing medicine.

Explore how we’re innovating in the AI space and reach out to a representative to see how a cloud-based EHR can help your practice thrive.