When operating a business that deals with sensitive client information, it’s crucial to ensure that your system and data have the most advanced protection possible. Your backup process must be flawless, and you need a threat management strategy covering everything from natural disasters to hacks and data breaches.
In the healthcare industry, these vital considerations come hand-in-hand with a need for absolute precision and unshakable continuity in service delivery. An in-house IT department may be suitable for some healthcare businesses. However, outsourcing IT to a Managed Service Provider (MSP) comes with many benefits, including the ability to streamline administrative processes, maintain perfect compliance with relevant laws, and ultimately, optimise patient care and outcomes.
By working with an MSP specialising in healthcare, medical professionals can enjoy 24/7 support from a team of IT professionals who understand the unique demands of the industry. These healthcare-focused MSPs can keep even the most complex IT infrastructure secure, organised, and compliant.
Below, we examine in detail the many ways a healthcare-focused MSP can help you streamline the delivery of care and improve patient outcomes.
Advanced data storage processes for medical records
Medical data requires more than just a safe and effective storage method. Healthcare providers need effective and intuitive methods of organising and accessing medical records in order to deliver the highest level of care. An MSP specialising in healthcare should understand this need and provide cloud hosting services to match.
Whether you’re operating a small clinic or a major hospital, secure and accurate data sharing is also a must. One misstep in sharing patient health records can have catastrophic consequences. However, on the flip side, effectively managed data sharing ensures all relevant providers have a clear and comprehensive picture of the treatments and medications a patient has been prescribed. This makes it far easier to avoid dangerous drug interactions, redundancies in treatment, and other problematic outcomes.
Releasing time to care with managed IT support
A poorly functioning IT environment can be catastrophic for healthcare businesses. Indeed, even minor inefficiencies can add up, reducing the time doctors, nurses, and administrative staff can spend on patient care. MSPs with a healthcare focus understand this all too well, and their IT consultants come equipped with the latest knowledge, tools, and methods for delivering optimal efficiency.
Medical professionals can operate with fewer distractions and delays when every aspect of their IT environment runs smoothly. By implementing automation and other helpful tools, a Managed Service Provider can further streamline the digital aspects of a healthcare business, releasing time to care, which has obvious positive implications for patient outcomes.
24/7 support for a 24/7 industry
Unfortunately, injuries and diseases don’t knock off at 5 pm; nor do they take breaks on the weekend. So, more than any other industry, healthcare requires round-the-clock functionality and IT support.
Though every Managed Service Provider is different, Invotec offers 24/7 tech support, meaning healthcare providers can call at any time of the day or night to receive instant help with any technical issues that arise. You’ll never have to wait for someone to wake up and trudge into the clinic to fix a 2 am problem. Instead, you’ll have an expert on-hand to fix it right away. The technical benefits of this are clear, but the stress-reducing effect of unbroken technical support is priceless in an already high-pressure industry.
Prevent and address regulatory compliance issues
From human error to malicious data breaches, there are many threats to patient privacy in healthcare, and with each of these threats comes the risk of failing to meet your regulatory obligations.
To be consistently compliant, healthcare organisations must take every precaution possible with patient data. All devices – including laptops, work phones, and tablets – should be encrypted, and an access control system must be used to secure patient information and restrict access to it.
Of course, patient privacy protection is just one of the standards Australian healthcare organisations must meet. By working with an MSP that has a team specialising in healthcare, you’ll have IT experts at your disposal who understand the regulations governing your sector.
Fixed cost, unlimited support
Once again, all MSPs are different, so you may not find the same level of coverage with every Australian IT service provider. However, Invotec promises healthcare businesses unlimited support for one fixed monthly fee. We tailor our packages to suit the specific needs of each practice, and as those needs change, we make it easy to scale your IT services to suit. This makes it easier than ever to manage your IT budget – something all practice managers appreciate.
Measure and improve patient satisfaction
This is one of many proactive steps an MSP can help you take. From simple in-clinic surveys to more complex Patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs), your MSP should be able to help you accurately measure patient satisfaction. Armed with this data, you can take steps to improve your service delivery where necessary. If any of those steps relate to your IT infrastructure, your MSP will be there to manage the updates.
While any reputable Managed Service Provider will be able to support a healthcare business, working with an MSP that specialises in the industry is always going to be better. Since patient outcomes and sensitive data are at stake, it’s crucial to take security and IT service continuity seriously. With 24/7 monitoring and tailored packages designed to support healthcare providers, Invotec is the ideal fit for Australian healthcare businesses. Contact Invotec today for an obligation-free consultation with an IT expert specialising in the healthcare industry.
