Cloud Computing Framework Of Resource Sharing For Healthcare Institution In Ethiopia

Abstract

Information technology in the delivery of healthcare is to enhance the availability and reliability of improved healthcare services. Cloud computing has been identified generally as the next big deal in computing infrastructure and it offers some benefits by allowing to use infrastructures like networks, storages, and servers, platforms like operating systems and middleware services and software such as application programs. Healthcare professionals do not always have all the information they require and at the time when it is most needed to make rapid patient-care decisions. Also, healthcare services are still being provided using manual tools and technologies. The adoption of current technologies such as cloud computing provides an avenue to overcome these challenges. Resource sharing is a mode of operation which consists of various collaborative activities between resource centers and other concerned bodies. So currently, there are many promising improvements such as collaborative methods to electronic repositories, electronic interactions, establishing content consortiums and other practical experiences for resource sharing purpose. The research finding shows that cloud computing is the better information communication technology utilization mechanism for healthcare centers and service delivery requirements, for it enables wise and strategic use of technology which significantly reduces cost. A rigorous analysis of the latest research on Cloud Computing as an alternative to IT provision, management and resource sharing is done. It also took into account the best practices for Cloud Computing usage within different hospitals by interviewing with selected practitioners, physicians and healthcare IT professionals. This study proposes community cloud platform framework for sharing resources in the healthcare institutions. The framework helps the health workers about the health system technologies in depth. Also, analysis and comparison of some of cloud computing freely available platforms and tools were done by putting different features as comparison criteria. The prototype was implemented using OpenShift online Redhat’s platform. The prototype is very interactive and user friendly which have resource sharing and accessing portal. Hence, the system is used as a common alliance and electronic means of resource sharing, knowledge sharing, collaboration and learning center in the delivery of healthcare institutions.