Title

AWS re:Invent 2022 - Geisinger’s full-scale migration to AWS via self-funding (PRT284)

Summary

Mike Black from Deloitte and Dan Bennett from Geisinger Health presented on Geisinger's full-scale migration to AWS.
They discussed the challenges in healthcare, such as rising medical costs, IT expenses, workforce issues, and data silos.
Geisinger's transformation was enabled by cloud technology and a self-funding mechanism.
The talk covered the importance of omnichannel digital experiences and using data to improve patient outcomes.
Geisinger's IT transformation included 40 initiatives, aiming for a 4% operating margin to reinvest in community and technology.
Deloitte's assessment of Geisinger's infrastructure, operating model, and application environment led to a reduction in applications and infrastructure footprint, and optimization of staffing.
A self-funded framework was used to flatten the cost curve for migration to AWS, with cost savings funding the migration.
Deloitte's cost optimization framework helped identify areas for cost reduction before moving to the cloud.
The migration to AWS was planned in phases, with a focus on aligning IT operations, applications, data, infrastructure, and security.
Geisinger's cloud migration involved application rationalization, cloud suitability analysis, and infrastructure optimization.
The migration aimed to improve disaster recovery, geo-redundancy, and cyber risk security.
Lessons learned emphasized the importance of culture, communication, and having a strong business case for cloud migration.

The healthcare industry faces unique challenges that cloud technology can help address, such as data silos and the need for digital transformation.
Geisinger's approach to self-funding their cloud migration is a strategic way to manage costs and ensure that savings from optimization efforts fund the transition.
Application rationalization is a critical step in cloud migration, ensuring that only necessary and strategic applications are moved to the cloud.
The move to AWS is not just a technical shift but also requires a cultural and operational change within the organization.
Cloud migration in healthcare must consider the sensitivity and security of patient data, requiring robust cybersecurity measures.
The phased approach to migration, with clear alignment and communication across the organization, is key to a successful cloud transformation.
The case study of Geisinger's migration to AWS provides a blueprint for other healthcare organizations considering a similar move to the cloud.