In my opinion, I would like to choose a cloud server rather than a physical server for these reasons:
– Cost-effective: Using a cloud server eliminates the need for investment in physical servers as well as maintenance, as the investment in cloud service is directly about the resource.
– Reliability: Cloud providers typically have high availability and redundancy that can reduce the risk of downtime. This reliability is essential for ensuring the appointment process can be done without interruptions.
– Scalability: As the workload in hospitals varies, cloud servers can be scaled based on demand. Moreover, cloud scalability can also eliminate the need for hardware upgrades.
– Security: Cloud services generally have reliable security measures, which healthcare providers and patients can ensure their data is secure.
– Data migration and recovery: Moving data between cloud servers is usually easier than physical servers and also provides a recovery solution in case of unexpected events or hardware failures.
For the web-based application for patient appointments, I would like to suggest a Platform as a Service (PaaS) in a particular low-code platform for the reasons below:
– Easy development: The PaaS such as a low-code platform simplifies the development process by having a one-stop software solution that the IT officer can develop, deploy, and maintain in one go.
– Workload efficiency: PaaS platforms eliminate the need for infrastructure management tasks, which the IT officer can concentrate on developing and maintaining the application.
– Integration: PaaS platforms provide integration capabilities with other cloud services and third-party APIs. This can be beneficial for integrating with an existing database.
– Quick deployment: the web application from PaaS can be deployed quickly, reducing maintenance downtime.