McGill University Health Centre (MUHC) has signed a major five-year contract with IBM (NYSE:IBM) to deploy a private storage cloud to more efficiently and securely store a growing amount of patient data.
Each year, MUHC receives more than 865,500 patients, including 171,900 in its emergency departments alone, at multiple sites. MUHC estimates over the next five years, clinical images and electronic files from those patients will consume more than 500 terabytes of data – all of which must be available for clinicians’ access 24/7.
MUHC’s current system required a more scalable and secure environment to meet that demand. The IBM solution will enable MUHC IT to centrally manage and consolidate various storage resources and provide a strategic and single view of all data. It will provide clinicians at these locations that are part of MUHC with a more comprehensive view of all patient and other data, accessed from many repositories and stored in many formats, seamlessly.
“This transformational initiative is integral to our redevelopment project to create better care for life, by introducing innovative information technologies,” says Jean Huot, CIO at MUHC.
The MUHC private cloud system implemented by IBM will include hardware, software, training and the professional services of IBM Business Partner Metafore (http://www.metafore.ca/)
Private clouds are built inside the firewall of an organization and help retain security and privacy of data while enabling customization.
“The cloud computing model is particularly applicable to healthcare applications due to the volume of dynamic and diverse sources of information,” says Barry Burk, IBM’s vice-president, heathcare industry . “Cloud computing can help clinicians and hospitals coordinate and exchange information more efficiently. These flexible networks will be scalable in integrating and sharing services and data, which will help reduce costs.”
For more about IBM, please visit www.ibm.com/healthcare/ca
About the McGill University Health Centre (MUHC)
One of the world’s foremost academic health centres, the MUHC offers exceptional and integrated patient-centric care, research and teaching. Highly committed to the continuum of care in its community and affiliated with the Faculty of Medicine of McGill University, The Montreal Children’s Hospital, the Montreal General Hospital, the Royal Victoria Hospital, the Montreal Neurological Hospital, the Montreal Chest Institute and the Lachine Hospital of the MUHC value multidisciplinary service throughout the lifespan, innovative technologies and practices, strategic partnerships and leadership in knowledge transfer. The MUHC is currently carrying out a $2.25-billion Redevelopment Project on three campuses—the Mountain, the Glen and Lachine—designed to provide healthcare professionals with an effective environment in which to ensure patients and their families benefit from The Best Care for Life. The campuses are also anchored in best sustainable-development practices, including LEED® and BOMA BESt guidelines. http://www.muhc.ca/ www.muhc.ca/construction.
For further information:
| IBM | McGill University Health Centre |
| Leslie Plant | Chantal Beaudry |
| External Communications | Public Relations & Communications |
| (416) 478-9840 (o) | (514) 843-1560 |
| (416) 526-5647 (m) |
