Healthcare Matters

For healthcare, SCM is a killer cloud application. Market dynamics couldn’t be riper. Demand for the latest and greatest SCM tools continues to grow and the interference we usually associate with long term legacy system commitments are just not there for most providers. They can make the move. In fact, the ERP vendors are only now starting to target SME (small-to-medium-sized-enterprises) and they’re doing it, naturally, with cloud-based solutions.

Despite some comments that I have received about my recent post concerning cloud security, I am not throwing a wet towel on the momentum we’re seeing in this marketplace. I am simply pointing out that getting oneself educated and/or hiring credible experts to navigate the cloud is a very wise idea.

With that in mind, wouldn’t you know that I stumbled across an article written by Daryl Plummer, a managing vp at Gartner. He shed some light on a current trend among the largest of enterprises. It seems that even the big players are having a hard time keeping it all straight, so they are hiring intermediaries –what are being referred to as Cloud Services Brokerages (CSB).

A CSB is a third party hired by the consumer of cloud services to do whatever is necessary to add value to the cloud services selection process, as well as implementation services, training and ongoing management. For example, a CSB could facilitate contract negotiations with various cloud services providers, provide data integration services, make provisions for enhanced security and even manage day-to-day user issues, if necessary. Come to think of it, a small hospital IT department could easily become a CSB; it would be a natural evolution.

As Daryl put it, “whether you rely on an external CSB or start looking for one in-house, it’s important to recognize that CSBs must be part of your company’s cloud equation for maximum results. Otherwise, the benefits you realize from moving services outside the organization may very well be hampered by the mess created inside.”

—Tom Finn