While 43 per cent of healthcare providers still rely solely on on-premises systems — underscoring the industry’s historically cautious stance
As healthcare institutions face mounting regulatory demands and physical threats, a new report from Genetec Inc., the enterprise physical security software pioneer, highlights a growing shift towards hybrid and cloud-based infrastructure in the sector. The 2025 edition of the *State of Physical Security Report*, based on insights from over 5,600 global security professionals, offers an in-depth look at how healthcare organisations are navigating evolving security priorities.
While 43 per cent of healthcare providers still rely solely on on-premises systems — underscoring the industry’s historically cautious stance — hybrid and cloud adoption is on the rise. Nearly half (48.3 per cent) of respondents have implemented hybrid-cloud environments, and 8.7 per cent have moved entirely to the cloud. Significantly, 68 per cent of organisations say they intend to shift more of their security operations to the cloud within the next 18 months.
According to Mark Feider, National Director for Enterprise at Genetec Inc., the report reveals a “gradual yet strategic movement” toward hybrid and cloud models, driven by the need to scale operations swiftly while remaining compliant. “Healthcare organisations are adopting these models to balance control, cost, and flexibility,” he said.
Key motivators include cost savings (62 per cent), access to continuous software updates (55 per cent), ease of deployment (47 per cent), improved disaster recovery (35 per cent), and enhanced data ownership (32 per cent). By embracing cloud solutions, hospitals aim to reduce their hardware burden and streamline multi-site maintenance, all while meeting complex regulatory and data sovereignty requirements.
The report also notes a sharp uptick in physical security incidents. In 2024, 46 per cent of facilities reported an increase in employee injuries, while 39 per cent faced more physical attacks on staff and 36 per cent experienced insider theft. Against this backdrop, organisations are prioritising AI tools, access control systems, and video surveillance. Digital evidence and incident management technologies are also gaining ground as part of a broader push to modernise security infrastructure and protect both patients and staff.
