Medicare meets the cloud: the development of a secure platform for the storage and analysis of claims data

Abstract

Introduction: Cloud-based solutions are a modern-day necessity for data intense computing. This case report describes in detail the development and implementation of Amazon Web Services (AWS) at Emory-a secure, reliable, and scalable platform to store and analyze identifiable research data from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS).

Materials and methods: Interdisciplinary teams from CMS, MBL Technologies, and Emory University collaborated to ensure compliance with CMS policy that consolidates laws, regulations, and other drivers of information security and privacy.

Results: A dedicated team of individuals ensured successful transition from a physical storage server to a cloud-based environment. This included implementing access controls, vulnerability scanning, and audit logs that are reviewed regularly with a remediation plan. User adaptation required specific training to overcome the challenges of cloud computing.

Conclusion: Challenges created opportunities for lessons learned through the creation of an end-product accepted by CMS and shared across disciplines university-wide.

Keywords: AWS; CMS; cloud computing; technical architecture.

Figure 1.

A high-level architecture diagram of the system implemented at Emory University and approved by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.

Figure 2.

A diagram of the high-level analytic flow architecture available through AWS at Emory and approved by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.