Healthcare organizations are increasingly turning to the cloud for building new services and running critical applications. To make the most of cloud services while protecting data and ensuring regulatory compliance, many organizations partner with managed service providers (MSPs) and other outside firms.
ClearDATA could be an appealing partner for some organizations, especially those looking for assistance with security and compliance. But how does ClearDATA compare with competitors such as Cloudticity, Logicworks, and Mission Cloud? Examining the pros and cons of each can help you find the right partner for your organization.
What is ClearDATA?
ClearDATA claims to have created the first and only cloud compliance and security solution purpose-built for healthcare. Established in 2009, ClearDATA offers several managed services and professional services, including cloud compliance, managed detection and response, cloud operations, cloud enablement, and staff augmentation services.
Target market and platform
ClearDATA helps healthcare organizations protect data and maintain regulatory compliance in the cloud. It can serve any healthcare organization building and running apps, and managing sensitive data, in a public cloud environment.
The company’s services are built on its CyberHealth Platform—a cloud security posture management application. The CyberHealth Platform is designed to prevent, detect, and remediate compliance drift and sensitive data security gaps on AWS, Azure, and Google Cloud.
Top Alternatives/Competitors to ClearDATA
The marketplace for cloud MSPs is highly competitive, though there is a short list of companies that have deep expertise in healthcare.
Cloudticity
Overview
Cloudticity is a cloud-based MSP that empowers healthcare organizations to be successful on the public cloud. Offering a unique combination of public cloud and healthcare expertise, Cloudticity helps organizations build and run innovative applications and services on AWS, Azure, and Google Cloud. With Cloudticity’s consulting, managed services, and automation capabilities, organizations can speed time to market for new applications, tap into cutting-edge cloud technologies (including generative AI), strengthen security, maintain regulatory compliance, achieve HITRUST certification, and more.
Cloudticity has a long history of successful healthcare-centered cloud projects. In fact, the company played a key role in some of the earliest and largest healthcare successes on the public cloud, including:
- The first patient portal
- The first health information exchange
- The first FISMA high deployment
- The first Meaningful Use 2 (MU2) compliance attestation for a large hospital system
- The first COVID-19 registry for a state health department
Pros/Cons
Cloudticity assists healthcare organizations optimize cloud environments for innovation. Working with Cloudticity, those organizations can also protect sensitive data, comply with HIPAA and other regulations, and accelerate HITRUST certification. The company’s emphasis on automation and access to real-time spending information helps streamline operations and reduce costs.
Cloudticity offers several advantages compared with ClearDATA and other firms. For example:
- Flexible architectures: Cloudticity provides greater flexibility in constructing cloud environments, avoiding the technology limitations of ClearDATA.
- Co-management: ClearDATA requires organizations to use a ticketing and contact system to make changes in cloud environments. By contrast, Cloudticity gives organizations full access to their environments.
- Fast time to value: Cloudticity can often get environments up and running in one to two weeks, while it might take ClearDATA and other firms months.
- Advanced automation: Cloudticity uses automation whenever possible to enhance efficiency and control costs.
- Scaled pricing discounts: Cloudticity offers scaled pricing with significant discounts as customer cloud environments grow.
Of course, Cloudticity might not be the best fit for companies too far outside of healthcare and the life sciences. And because Cloudticity focuses on public cloud environments, companies looking to build and run applications solely in on-premises environments might not make the most of what Cloudticity offers.
H4: Best for
Cloudticity serves a full range of healthcare organizations—including healthcare providers, payers, health tech companies, genomics and life science companies, and public sector organizations. Typically these organizations are looking to build, run, and secure applications or services in public cloud environments. Cloudticity has a track record of working with healthcare organizations of all sizes.
Logicworks
Overview
Logicworks was created to help organizations migrate applications to AWS and Azure, and then run those applications in the cloud. The company’s Cloud Reliability Platform is designed to simplify management of AWS and Azure services while enabling organizations to achieve security, compliance, availability, and cost-savings goals.
Logicworks was acquired by telecommunications giant Cox Communications in 2023. Since then, Cox Business (a division of Cox Communications) has rebranded Logicworks as part of RapidScale—a company and cloud managed cloud services platform. Cox promotes RapidScale as “powered by Logicworks.”
Pros/Cons
RapidScale provides a wide array of offerings, including desktop-as-a-service, infrastructure-as-a-service, security-as-a-service, cloud orchestration, monitoring, and other offerings. Cloud-specific services include migration, optimization, security and compliance, and artificial intelligence (AI)/machine learning (ML) services, among others.
The Logicworks acquisition by Cox Communications could be concerning for some organizations. In the past, Logicworks focused on highly regulated industries such as healthcare and finance. RapidScale, however, serves organizations in a broader range of fields, from
automotive and education to real estate and retail. Healthcare organizations might not have access to the same industry expertise as in the past.
Best for
RapidScale, powered by Logicworks, might be the right choice for organizations looking for multiple cloud-related services.
Read Next: Logicworks Competitors and Alternatives
Mission Cloud
Overview
Mission Cloud provides cloud managed cloud services, consulting services, and software meant to simplify adoption and management of AWS applications. The company serves multiple industries, including not only healthcare and life sciences but also media, finance, retail, private equity, and software.
Organizations can work with the company for migration, optimization, modernization, app development, and data engineering projects. To support its services, Mission Control built a platform that allows organizations to benchmark, analyze, and track performance of their AWS cloud environments.
Pros/Cons
Mission Cloud offers a variety of services for streamlining management, improving performance, and reducing the costs of building and running applications on AWS. With a strong focus on AWS, the company can often help its customers access the latest AWS technologies, including generative AI.
However, Mission Cloud services are available for AWS only. Organizations interested in using Azure or Google Cloud would be better served with other MSPs. In addition, the company might not have the same level of expertise in supporting healthcare organizations and ensuring regulatory compliance as other MSPs.
Best for
Mission Cloud might provide a good alternative to ClearDATA for organizations looking for a smaller partner with a focus on AWS.
Factors to Consider When Choosing a ClearDATA Alternative
Whether you are looking to make a change from ClearDATA or are just beginning your initial search for a cloud MSP, there are several key factors to consider.
Cloud provider focus
The cloud or clouds you intend to use could narrow your MSP choices quickly. If you plan to use AWS exclusively, ClearData, Cloudticity, RapidScale, or Mission Cloud could be contenders. However, if you need greater flexibility, Mission Cloud will not be a possibility. Its focus on AWS means you would have limited options now and little flexibility for change later.
Healthcare industry focus
ClearDATA and all of the competitors reviewed here can support healthcare organizations. However, only ClearData and Cloudticity concentrate exclusively on healthcare. A healthcare-focused MSP is likely to have deeper expertise in addressing the complexities of HIPAA compliance and HITRUST certification. Moreover, both ClearDATA and Cloudticity enable organizations to inherit or partially inherit controls that can be used in a HITRUST certification process.
Automation
Many organizations partner with MSPs because managing cloud environments is challenging—especially for healthcare companies that must safeguard sensitive patient data and comply with strict regulations. MSPs that make extensive use of automation can help your organization decrease risks and reduce the human resources needed for administration, which can in turn drive down costs.
Flexibility for change
Cloud environments enable you to easily scale resources, adopt new services, and modify architectures as your needs change. When selecting a cloud-based MSP, make sure the MSP can help you make the most of that cloud flexibility. Select a firm that lets you make changes rapidly and directly, without having to jump through hoops. You should also have clear visibility into your environment so you can evaluate options easily.
Training and support resources
The right MSP should share knowledge with your internal team. Partner with a firm that will help you better understand how to build, manage, and operate cloud services. You should have access to self-service capabilities and be able to fully participate in modifying and optimizing cloud services.
The MSP should also provide responsive support. Choose an MSP that is ready to assist whether you want to make an architectural change, reduce cloud expenditures, or launch a new initiative, such as developing a ransomware prevention plan.
Pricing and cost structure
Pricing will certainly play a role in selecting an MSP. Beyond evaluating the comparative costs for your initial engagement, consider the potential costs for a longer-term relationship. Select an MSP that will provide pricing flexibility as your cloud environment grows.
Final Thoughts and Recommendations
ClearDATA might seem to offer compelling security and compliance services for healthcare organizations. However, Cloudticity can offer greater flexibility, faster implementation times, and better co-management for many organizations. It combines a strong focus on healthcare with deep expertise in regulatory compliance, automation, and cloud technologies—enabling healthcare organizations to maximize the value of the cloud.
Learn more about why Cloudticity is a strong alternative to ClearDATA. Contact us for a free consultation today.
