Sentara Health, a non-profit health system based in Norfolk, Virginia, made a strategic decision to migrate its Electronic Health Record (EHR) systems to the cloud, specifically Epic on Microsoft Azure. Jeffrey Thomas, the senior vice president and chief technology officer at Sentara Health, spearheaded this initiative, bringing a unique perspective to the healthcare IT landscape.
Thomas, who joined the healthcare industry seven years ago, was tasked with leading Sentara Health into the cloud era. The organization’s board and CIO had set a goal to enable cloud capabilities within the infrastructure. The challenges faced by Sentara Health included capacity limitations and lengthy procurement processes.
The timing of the cloud migration proved to be crucial, as it coincided with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. The ability to scale rapidly during the pandemic was a direct result of the cloud infrastructure that Sentara Health had put in place. With approximately 60% of their infrastructure already in the cloud, the organization was able to quickly adapt to the increased demand for remote access and virtual care.
One of the primary drivers for migrating to the cloud was the need to centralize and automate data services, reduce capital expenditures, and enhance security and compliance measures. By moving to a cloud-based model, Sentara Health was able to achieve instant scalability and optimize the utilization of resources.
Thomas and his team conducted a thorough analysis of the true costs associated with maintaining on-premise data centers. By transitioning to a cloud-based architecture, Sentara Health was able to realize significant cost savings and streamline their operations. The shift to a cloud-centric model allowed for more agile and efficient deployment of IT resources, enabling the organization to respond quickly to changing demands.
As part of the cloud migration, Sentara Health re-engineered and re-architected over 1,300 applications, optimizing them for the cloud environment. This transformation process resulted in a more streamlined and cost-effective IT infrastructure, with the team successfully reducing the number of servers required for various systems.
The shift to a cloud-first approach also led to a fundamental change in how IT operations were managed. By focusing on engineering, architecture, and cost optimization, Sentara Health was able to adopt a more proactive and strategic approach to IT management. The organization’s IT team now operates with a business-centric mindset, aligning technology decisions with the broader goals of the organization.
Overall, the transition to the cloud yielded substantial cost savings for Sentara Health, totaling approximately $2.5 million annually. By leveraging automation, scalability, and real-time architectural decision-making, the organization was able to achieve greater efficiency and agility in its IT operations.
Drawing on their experience and success with cloud migration, Sentara Health established OptaFi, a company that offers best practices and technical expertise for moving Epic EHR workloads to the cloud. OptaFi’s services are designed to help healthcare organizations navigate the complexities of cloud migration and maximize the benefits of cloud-based infrastructure.
In conclusion, Sentara Health’s journey to the cloud exemplifies the transformative power of technology in healthcare. By embracing cloud technologies and reimagining their IT operations, the organization has positioned itself for long-term success in an increasingly digital healthcare landscape.