Page 34 Telehealth and Remote Patient Monitoring RPM for Long Termand Post Acute Care A Primer and Provider Selection Guide 2013

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7.2.2 IT Infrastructure

Selecting the appropriate telehealth solution will depend on an organization’s IT infrastructure and needs.
Typical options include purchasing and locally hosting the telehealth software onsite at the organization’s
data center, purchasing the software and having a 3 party host it in their data center, or the vendor host-
rd
ing and offering their own Software as a Service (SaaS). Each has pros and cons depending on the size of
an organization and its current IT infrastructure.

Some things to consider when evaluating these options are:

rd
Local/Locally Hosted Software 3 Party Hosted SaaS
• Software and license are • Software (including com- • Leased software installed
purchased and installed on mercial packages origi- on remote servers and
each desktop/client device nally designed for individual accessed via desktop com-
or local servers users) installed on remote puters or thin client device,
servers and accessed via but special browser-like
• Software updates must be desktop computers or thin software may need to be
downloaded and installed client devices to multiple installed on local machines
users on a lease or per-use
• Central server onsite; infor- basis; but software may • Allows for immediate soft-
mation stored locally at need to be installed on ware updates
individual computer level local machines
and/or local servers • Information stored offsite in
• Software updates on the cloud
• Onsite IT support needed remotely hosted applica-
for clients and servers tions are managed by the • Onsite IT support generally

• Internet connectivity application/hosting service not needed
provider; updates to local
not required except for software may need to be • Internet connectivity
exchanging information downloaded and installed required; downtime without
with other sites; no down- Internet
time without Internet • Information stored offsite in • Cost: Low upfront invest-
• Cost: High upfront invest- the cloud ment in hardware and
ment in hardware and • Onsite IT support needed software, ongoing use fees,
software, ongoing licensing for clients and low IT staffing cost.
fees, and high IT staffing
cost. • Internet connectivity
required; downtime without
Internet

• Cost: Medium upfront
investment in hardware and
software, ongoing host-
ing and licensing fees, and
medium IT staffing cost.

Telehealth and Remote Patient Monitoring for Long-Term and Post-Acute Care:
A Primer and Provider Selection Guide 2013