It comes as no surprise to us that increasing numbers of organisations are looking towards the cloud as a means to embrace new technologies and the ever-changing nature of the modern workplace. This drive towards the cloud is universal. From financial services to the legal sector, education to healthcare - organisations are seeing more and more the importance of adopting cloud-based solutions like Google Workspace.

Why should healthcare organisations move towards the cloud?

One of the most pertinent shifts we have seen in the last year is the sudden need for healthcare sector organisations to harness the power of the cloud due to increased demand for services such as telehealth. Being able to deliver remote services during the COVID-19 pandemic has caused a real surge in demand for cloud-based healthcare.

Within the healthcare industry - like any high-compliance sector - the security of data is paramount. Whilst cloud-based environments secure data, further actions are often essential to be 100% certain that sensitive data is being held securely.

It is an unfortunate fact that any new movement in technological trends meets external threats. It is even more unfortunate that due to the increase in demand for cloud-based products, these have become a primary target for cyber attackers. This unfortunate reality must be counteracted in the best possible manner to safeguard security standards and patient data. One such way is to take a proactive approach to cyber security by implementing an effective SaaS (software as a service) protection solution.

But, like every cloud, there is a silver lining. 

Revolutionising healthcare with Google Workspace

Google Workspace is very much the cloud-based solution to take to the front line with you. Google Workspace benefits the healthcare sector greatly in being able to collaborate, provide care and maintain productivity with peace of mind. 

Before talking about the incredible usability of the tools Google Workspace boasts, it’s imperative to consider the best-in-class security it contains. There are a plethora of security features within this amazing family of tools, so here are a few of the highlights! 

Google Workspace Security - fit for a high compliance sector.

• 2 Factor Authentication adds a second layer of security to your Workspace account by requiring a second form of verification in order to login (mobile phone passcode, security key, etc).
• Remove or wipe Google Workspace data from an Android or iOS device if lost or stolen - in real-time. 
• Data Loss Prevention allows you to scan your organisation’s email traffic for specific content such as patient information and execute actions when this content is identified such as reject or modify the message.
• Google Vault is an app that is included in Google Workspace Business and offers a whole range of features to help meet your organisation’s compliance requirements. You can search through your entire organisation’s emails, instant messages and files from the moment the app is switched on. Additionally, you can set organisation-wide retention rules for how long deleted emails are stored in users’ mailboxes before being deleted by Google. 

Not only is Google Workspace secure, but it also offers a host of benefits for harnessing collaboration, communication and productivity.

Google Meet - Telemedicine made possible.

Google Meet is Google Workspace’s video conferencing solution. It boasts incredible ease of use and access as well as makes communicating from distance as effective as possible. 

In the context of healthcare, it’s fantastic. Sharing your screen allows you to share documents or medical images to help guide conversations. Live captions can also be used within the Meet call to help everyone follow along with the conversation. Additionally, it supports HIPAA compliance. 

Gmail, Drive and Docs - Securely stored documents.

By storing documents within Google Drive, data is consequently stored in a repository that supports HIPAA compliance. In addition to this, Google’s mobile device management and encryption can also be used to keep data even more secure. Moreover, with the controls within Google Workspace, administrators can authorise employees and frontline caregivers access to pertinent healthcare information from any corporate-managed device.

Remote teams - Communicate, Collaborate and deliver care on any device anywhere.

Google Chat can be utilised to keep remote healthcare teams connected irrespective of location or device with the help of Android and iOS apps. Additionally, information stored on Google Drive can also be accessed securely from anywhere. 

Utilise Google Workspace to improve the patient experience.

Of course, at the forefront of every organisation within the healthcare sector is patient experience. Google Workspace’s tools can be harnessed to bolster this. For example, Google Forms can be used to provide intake information prior to a visit which can then be accessed by relevant medical staff via Google Sheets. Importantly, this can all be edited in real-time and even more importantly, it can be done in a manner that is secure.

Paperless collaboration with peace of mind.

Google Workspace is all about efficiency in communication and collaboration. By making the move to the cloud, X-Rays, CT scans and voice and video messages can be stored as digital files within your organisation’s highly secure Google Drive. The benefits of this are plentiful, no benefit more so than being able to eliminate the risk of medical error with inconsistent and outdated versions of healthcare documents. Additionally, a ‘Shared Drive’ can be created as a single source of truth for specific care teams to access and update. 

HIPAA compliant, efficient, collaborative. 

The merits of Google Workspace as a means to bolster collaboration, communication and productivity for any organisation are undisputed. But a key factor that makes it the ideal solution for an organisation in healthcare is its best-in-class security.

Interested in beginning your journey to the cloud? Contact us!