In this case scenario, choosing a cloud server for the patient appointment application is a cost-effective and scalable solution adding minimal workload to IT officer. Cloud servers are typically more cost-effective than purchasing and maintaining physical hardware. As hospital application grows and more patients start using it, cloud server can easily scale up without the need to purchase additional hardware. Cloud providers shoulder the responsibility for hardware maintenance, security updates, and data backups, hance reducing workload of IT officer.
For the cloud computing service model, I think opting for a PaaS model would better streamline development and deployment while allowing the hospital’s IT officer to focus on other critical tasks. I would choose PaaS for 3 main reasons; First, PaaS platforms are easy to deploy due to their build-in features for development and scalability. Second, PaaS pricing is usage-based, therefore it is easy to control the cost. Third, Identity and access management features can provide robust security.