Healthcare reimagined: Harness the cloud to drive innovation and efficiency

The healthcare industry is experiencing a digital transformation amid financial pressures and workforce shortages. Despite these challenges, technology spending continues to grow, creating opportunities for innovation. Amazon Web Services (AWS) and solutions from AWS Marketplace equip providers with powerful tools that break down communication barriers, strengthen collaboration, bolster security, and enable timely access to critical information.

I recently moderated a panel discussion at HIMSS25 Global Health Conference & Exhibition where we explored these trends and implementation strategies. We focused on adopting purpose-built solutions that streamline operations and transform patient care delivery. The panel featured three healthcare innovators with unique perspectives:

• Zafar Chaudry, SVP, Chief Digital Officer & Chief Information Officer, Seattle Children’s
• Martijn Hartjes, Business Leader, Clinical Informatics, Philips
• Kalimuthu Chithambaram, Field Chief Technology Officer, Healthcare North Americas, CDW

These are the key insights from our discussion.

The healthcare technology landscape

Healthcare institutions navigate a complex landscape where technology advancements offer promising solutions amid new challenges. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services identifies healthcare as a prime target for cybersecurity attacks, making it challenging to protect digital information.

According to the World Economic Forum, despite generating 50 petabytes of data, up to 97 percent of healthcare information goes unused in data silos or formats not readily accessible. Data from instruments and medical devices requires integration, and once aggregated, organizations need secure ways to democratize access compliantly.

Rising healthcare delivery costs and increased patient expectations have forced hospitals to adopt new technologies for efficiencies, faster diagnoses, lower readmittance rates, and workforce management. According to McKinsey, “Health systems are taking a holistic view of technology deployment, pursuing end-to-end improvement of processes that drive value while selectively deploying technologies to promote efficiency and patient experience.”

Forrester reports nearly 70 percent of healthcare organizations are expanding cloud technologies to address these pressures. Deloitte forecasts a digital-first future where artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning enhance claims processing, billing, and clinical decisions, as providers manage continuous care through connected devices.

Transforming patient care through data-driven insights

For healthcare organizations, data represents untapped potential. Dr. Chaudry shared that Seattle Children’s keeps patient information for 30 years after their last visit. “We’re running 1,600 systems, half of which are clinically oriented,” he said, representing how much data exists.

“We sit on a lot of information and don’t actually do much with it,” noted Dr. Chaudry. It’s like having a treasure chest but no key to access the insights inside. By centralizing this data with cloud computing, Seattle Children’s transformed their surgical practices.

“100 percent of our outpatient surgeries are now opioid free,” Dr. Chaudry continued. That’s 10,000 kids who avoided potential addiction issues. This success demonstrates the impact of data-driven decision making in healthcare.

As Chithambaram puts it, “Data is the new oil.” He explained that “hospitals are sitting on mountains of data, but a lot of times they don’t realize what the value of the data is.” I’ve seen this pattern across many healthcare organizations I work with—valuable information that could transform patient care if properly harnessed.

Breaking down clinical data silos

Healthcare departments often operate in isolation, making integrated care difficult. “We’re trying to bring all information together to support better decision making,” explained Hartjes.

“Often pathologists say, ‘I get a patient case, but I have no clue what radiology has concluded,'” Hartjes continued. This fragmentation hinders collaborative treatment decisions and creates inefficiencies throughout the care process.

AWS cloud solutions and healthcare offerings in AWS Marketplace connect systems securely and reliably. These integrations enable seamless data sharing across specialties, creating a more complete picture of each patient’s condition and allowing more coordinated care approaches.

Moving beyond traditional healthcare infrastructure

Healthcare Information Technology (IT) departments are shifting from on-premises infrastructure toward cloud solutions. “Healthcare infrastructure is dead if you run it yourself,” noted Dr. Chaudry. This assessment reflects the growing recognition that traditional approaches can’t keep pace with technological change.

“Six months after ordering equipment, you’ll have burst capacity that’s already full because you need more,” Dr. Chaudry explained. This cycle creates an unsustainable technology burden for healthcare organizations and diverts resources from patient care.

AWS’ flexible infrastructure and pre-vetted solutions from AWS Marketplace offer cost-effective alternatives with pay-as-you-go scaling and faster deployment. This approach helps healthcare organizations remain technologically current without massive capital investments that strain tight budgets.

Managing the human element of cloud transformation

Cloud adoption’s biggest challenge is human, not technical. Dr. Chaudry emphasized that healthcare remains “fundamentally a people business.” When telling his team they would be “out of the infrastructure business,” he faced strong resistance.

“There were lots of team meetings about how the world would end,” Dr. Chaudry recalled. “But the world hasn’t ended,” he asserted. Chithambaram highlighted how CDW approaches this challenge: “When we partner with health systems, we’re a supplement. We want to educate them on the benefits.”

The key is helping IT staff transition to more valuable roles through cloud solutions.

Real-world transformation stories

Seattle Children’s applied AI to their clinical pathways—thousands of pages of treatment protocols for pediatric care. “Now clinicians can have a conversational discussion with the AI on their mobile device,” Dr. Chaudry explained. This makes complex treatment guidelines accessible at the point of care.

Philips’ Remote Operating Command Center seamlessly connects radiology departments across different hospitals. “We’re seeing nine percent productivity improvement and significant reduction in rescans,” said Hartjes.

CDW helps healthcare organizations move to the cloud while maintaining critical operations. Their approach introduces gradual improvements that can be easily integrated into daily workflows.

Lastly, Seattle Children’s built its entire facility in Minecraft after a 12-year-old patient challenged Dr. Chaudry about the lack of activities during long hospital stays. This gaming environment creates community among young patients during difficult times. It offers both entertainment and social connection when children need it most.

I was particularly moved by the Minecraft story—it perfectly illustrates how cloud technology addresses unexpected challenges in creative ways we might never have imagined.

Driving cost efficiency and transparency

Cloud adoption helps healthcare organizations gain visibility into operations while reducing expenditures. “Using cloud services allowed us to move from large capital expenditures to a more predictable operational cost model,” explained Dr. Chaudry.

This shift helps financial teams plan effectively while freeing up capital for patient care investments. Cloud solutions provide cost management tools that help organizations track usage and optimize spending as healthcare margins shrink.

Key steps for successful cloud adoption

Our panel discussion revealed several key steps for successful cloud adoption:

1. Define your organizations goals
2. Assess your current data, applications, workloads, and infrastructure
3. Focus on data availability, quality, governance, and insights
4. Include key stakeholders to understand workflows
5. Identify needed skills and training
6. Leverage purpose-built healthcare solutions from AWS Marketplace

Conclusion

Cloud technology transforms healthcare by enabling data-driven decisions and reducing clinical errors. While traditional approaches rely on expanding staff and physical infrastructure, modern solutions leverage technology to achieve greater results with existing resources. “I could hire another 500 people, and I probably couldn’t secure my organization or grow my infrastructure at the scale I need,” noted Dr. Chaudry. His observation highlights how technology can act as a force multiplier for dedicated clinicians and administrators.

By using cloud technologies and purpose-built solutions from AWS Marketplace, healthcare organizations can improve care delivery while reducing costs. This balanced approach addresses financial pressures and clinical needs facing healthcare systems.

About AWS Marketplace

AWS Marketplace is a curated digital catalog with numerous healthcare solutions across multiple categories and regions. This makes it easy for you to find, buy, deploy, and manage solutions from AWS Partners. It offers quick, easy, and secure deployment, flexible consumption, contract models, and streamlined procurement and billing operations.

Over 330,000 organizations use AWS Marketplace monthly to accelerate digital transformation and improve efficiencies. Research from Forrester estimates it takes half the time to find, buy, and deploy solutions through AWS Marketplace compared to other channels.

Next steps

Explore Healthcare solutions and software in AWS Marketplace to discover solutions like those discussed by our panelists:  Philips, AdaptX, and CDW.

Watch the Healthcare reimagined: Harness the cloud to drive innovation webinar for additional insights.

About the author

Allyson Fryhoff is the Director for Global Healthcare & Life Sciences at AWS. She leads teams inspiring healthcare and life sciences organizations globally to accelerate their digital transformation, mission outcomes, and positive impact through cloud technology.

Allyson brings over 25 years of technology industry experience with expertise in cloud solutions, analytics, and enterprise software. She specializes in developing strategic partnerships and implementing emerging technologies that transform healthcare delivery.

Before joining AWS, Allyson held executive leadership positions at Salesforce.org where she helped grow the business into a significant enterprise. Her previous experience includes roles at Oracle, Digital Equipment Corporation, and Control Data Corp.