Healthcare’s IT Prescription? Managed Services

No one is safe from cybersecurity threats or able to ignore digital transformation. But the healthcare industry faces extra pressures to keep its IT healthy. Here’s why that’s the case and why a Managed Service Provider (MSP) partnership is just what the doctor ordered.

Healthcare shares many of the same concerns as other industries. Leaders want to reduce costs, increase productivity, and improve the bottom line. Many doctor’s offices are moving away from relying on paper files, insurance providers receive faxed claims, electronic medical records (EMR) have replaced rooms of filing cabinets, and medicine has gone mobile with data available on a centralized server in the cloud. Everything from surgery scheduling to patient payments can be processed online.

So, healthcare business technology needs to stay current. Remote access to patient records, imaging, and prescription history is expected. Virtual collaboration with colleagues is a new norm. Dashboards providing data analytics are in demand, too. All of these new technologies need to be secure.

Every industry faces cybersecurity threats, yet healthcare handles complete patient information and financial data, which makes it a prime target. Consider the ransomware attack that crippled Britain’s National Health Service (NHS) in 2017. According to reports, the WannaCry attack cost the NHS 92 million pounds, not including the damage to the NHS’s brand reputation.

High Standards for Healthcare IT

Healthcare must also address industry standards and compliance concerns. Data breaches are expensive for any organization, but healthcare regulations make even the loss of an unencrypted laptop costly. Healthcare clinics face fines for sharing patient data or falling victim to a cyber-scam.

Partnering with an MSP is a prescription for IT success and security. An MSP provides an outside opinion on technological health. The MSP’s IT experts begin by diagnosing the current software, systems, and networks. They then track and manage the technology.

An MSP can also provide an IT strategy to support compliance. This could include introducing remote and mobile access policies, or taking steps to better protect and backup sensitive information. Patching and upgrading systems is a proactive move against cybersecurity vulnerabilities.

You might think of partnering with an MSP as a wellness check. Keeping an eye on the business’s IT health makes it easier to avoid something debilitating. Plus, if something does go wrong, MSPs have guaranteed response times. Your partner will develop a business continuity plan to get you back to IT fitness quicker.

Managed IT Services Do More Than You Think

After the headache of moving to electronic health records (EHR), businesses may be reluctant to add MSPs to the mix. Still, a savvy MSP can integrate EHR/EMR solutions with any new IT strategies. Interested in telemedicine applications or social media management? The MSP can help.

An MSP does much more than risk assessments. Stopping smoking has many benefits beyond cleaner lungs. Similarly, working with MSPs can help healthcare treat several symptoms at once.

The MSP supports medical clinics or healthcare organizations in:

using IT to provide a better patient experience
securing networks for medical professional and patient access
streamlining operational efficiencies with cloud-based computing solutions
improving medical professional communication with patients and other partners
managing IT security
spearheading digital business transformation

Healthcare providers and related businesses want to modernize and master cybersecurity vulnerabilities. Partnering with an MSP for IT strategy and support lets you focus on building a healthy business.