Cloud Strategy for Enterprise Imaging: Architecture Before Adoption

In 2024, nearly two-thirds of healthcare organizations surveyed about their cloud road map said they were either using the cloud for diagnostic image viewing and/or storage or would likely start using the cloud within the next three years. More recently, a 2025 research report tells a similar story. It states that the U.S. radiology IT market tipped to over 50% of the market on cloud—both fully hosted and hybrid solutions—in 2024, and the country will reach two-thirds adoption by 2029.

These surveys tell us that the cloud is increasingly common as providers have grown more comfortable with it. Some say the forced use of telehealth and open access to patient information for remote employees during the pandemic has helped lessen
providers’ previous concerns about sending sensitive and HIPAA-compliant data off-site for storage. However we got here, there is far greater acceptance of cloud data storage across healthcare and radiology today than just five years ago. What’s more, the landscape has shifted from testing the waters to full adoption—often making cloud the default for new imaging IT strategies. But should it be this way? Should cloud be the “go to” answer?

If you’re like many of today’s CIOs, CTOs and imaging tech leaders, you’ve been mulling this matter over. You know that security, reduced dependence with local data centers, and increasing use of artificial intelligence (AI) are primary drivers for adopting cloud for enterprise imaging. That said, it’s important to weigh all considerations and get a “big picture” perspective: Evaluating and refining how cloud fits into your enterprise imaging strategy is a critical first step.

Maintaining flexibility is a top priority
An “architecture first, deployment model second” approach to cloud strategy for enterprise imaging IT is key. Cloud may not always be the “go-to” solution. Rather, clinical, governance, and operational requirements should drive architectural decisions
before choosing where workloads run. Understanding your goal is key: It’s not about choosing cloud as opposed to an on-premises data center. Instead, your goal should be maintaining flexibility to place imaging workloads in the environment that best supports performance, governance, on-demand scalability and operational needs, as well as cost constraints.

Cloud offers many benefits—chief of which is flexibility. For example, cloud can deliver rapid and elastic scalability, plus improved resilience/disaster recovery, support for distributed care models, and relief from complex infrastructure refresh cycles. If you’re like many of today’s healthcare providers you may want flexibility not only in where imaging infrastructure runs, but also who manages it—your internal team versus vendor managed services. If you’re opting for a managed solution, it’s imperative to vet multiple vendors and seek out those that offer more than just robust technology, but also have earned a reputation for delivering speedy, responsive service. Look for a vendor who will be a true partner, aligned with your organization’s needs and growth.

While some organizations are moving entirely to the cloud, several health systems are adopting a hybrid approach, which for many has proven to be a valid long-term solution. It all depends on the healthcare provider’s specific organizational needs. If,
indeed, a healthcare organization operates hybrid or cloud-connected imaging environments, the critical factor is that it should emerge from architectural decisions and a true understanding of an organization’s needs rather than being the initial
assumption.

The bottom line is that imaging modernization must align with budget planning realities, allowing organizations to evolve infrastructure without disrupting depreciation cycles or creating unpredictable cost structures. Platform-oriented imaging strategies can help reduce complexity and vendor fragmentation while preserving deployment flexibility and improving system integration capabilities. The overarching approach should focus on pragmatic and measured modernization that emphasizes clinical stability while enabling future adaptability.

If your organization is considering a transition to cloud, bear in mind that your cloud solution is only as strong as the strategic guidance behind it. As any provider who has been through the transition knows, there will be challenges along the way. That’s why it is so important to select a vendor focused on a long-term partnership; a partner you can trust to ensure a successful migration. At Fujifilm, we take each unbound cloud journey with every customer very seriously, and we are with them every step of the way.