The Advantages of Cloud Technology for life science firms
Developing a brand new therapeutic takes time, especially when it’s being held back by legacy data management systems. Using the standard pen-and-paper approach to capture and store data is unreliable, it ensures that data is siloed, and presumably then forgotten.
We know that without access to data as well as the ability to share it with colleagues, drawing insight is impossible. Innovation is stagnant and throughput reduced, this is the knock-on effect here.
STRENGTHEN COLLABORATIONS AND SHARE DATA INSTANTLY
When collaborating with an internal or external team, it’s important to be clear on what must be done, who’s doing it, and when. But if your data capture tools are outdated and ineffective, data may be incomplete, inaccurate, or missing altogether. Communicating with partners and thus gaining insight from that data at best becomes challenging.
There is room for these issues and plenty of more to develop when using simple pen-and-paper approaches to log the torrent of data – from experiment results and parameters to calibration/batch records, materials, and so on.
Using spreadsheets, or a mix of paper notebooks and spreadsheets means transferring data between systems – even if this implies simply moving bits of paper around. Often this is time-consuming and might lead to inaccurate data. To access data, you require to find it in its logbook or spreadsheet, which also takes time. An IDC report even showed that employees can spend about 30% of their workday looking for information. And even then, you can’t be sure that the info is correct because of accidental human error. Inefficiency is rife as well as creates vital issues in business.
With cloud technology, data capture is automatic, so you don’t need to worry about writing everything into your logbook and finding it later. Storing your experiment data in the cloud also implies that you’ll be able to access it at a touch of a button and share it instantly with colleagues in other departments. This simply allows everyone to achieve timely insights while streamlining the overall throughput. For instance, an analytics team can share product attributes with the formulations team, enabling them to select the correct combination for a stable end-product.
For those companies collaborating with external partners working across multiple sites, or with employees working remotely, storing data within the cloud enables them to securely access information irrespective of location. There’s absolutely no need to set up a VPN or rely on IT to provide technical support at unsociable hours. A cloud-based system will do the heavy lifting, providing a really flexible and secure environment to collaborate.
In addition, with cloud deployments, absolutely no information is lost in the black hole of emails or by mistake sent to the wrong person, all data is completely available instantaneously as well as accessible to all those with the right permissions – scalable and secure.
WITH CLOUD DEPLOYMENT GET MORE FOR YOUR MONEY
Most companies that have already got a system on-premise may be reluctant to make the shift to the cloud because of fears of preliminary cost and disrupting operations. However a software as a service (SaaS) model will be up and running in just some hours, and at a fraction of the value of on-premise installations. Moreover, since SaaS is subscription-based, the value is spread out throughout the year and includes regular upgrades and maintenance. Unlike on-premise and perpetual license models, SaaS can actually be used on any OS, and developers have an incentive to continue to roll out updates, fix bugs quickly, and make sure the highest level of security.
By running the software on its own servers in the cloud, SaaS removes the requirement for expensive specialised equipment, infrastructure databases, or the hiring of an IT specialist in order to maintain and support its running. SaaS vendors will have their own team of specialists and technical support to assist you with the migration and continue to offer any support you would possibly need throughout your utilization of the software, saving you both money as well as time. Even if you scale up, you’ll be able to see what the prices are, making budgeting much easier.
Furthermore, having assistance on hand when you really need it, drastically reduces the workload of IT department, enabling them to completely focus on critical projects so as to drive innovation.
MEET REGULATORY AND COMPLIANCE DEMANDS WITH EASE
In life sciences industry, cloud software is the one can assist you comply with their high regulatory standards. Typically, cloud models are architected in order to adhere to frameworks, which is quite significant for drug development firms, as business failure is the ultimate result of failed audits. Some cloud vendors have ensured that their products can fully assist you comply with industry best practices, including GxP compliance.
How? Organisations can build in controls that flag problems before they cascade to make sure that all data is captured as well as stored in one specific location so as to reduce errors as much as possible. This helps to boost data integrity.
This approach implies that data is tracked, so organisations can see who accessed what data when they did this, and what they did with the data. This level of traceability makes sure that the information is complete as well as secure, making audits easier. Data stored within the cloud is routinely and automatically backed up, a process which is generally laborious but necessary to make sure data integrity, meet regulatory demands and propel a product to market.
What R&D organisations requires is an end-to-end scientific informatics platform within the cloud that streamlines workflows, boosts or enhances collaboration, and encourages regulatory compliance at the level that is highest. It should be scalable, flexible and secure – everything a life sciences business has to drive innovation and get therapeutics to market faster.
For more information contact Tromenz learning or visit our website.