Electronic health record systems have revolutionized healthcare, containing costs, streamlining processes, enhancing digital security, and improving patient outcomes. Technical management services (TMS) — also referred to as information management services (IMS) — enable practices to optimize their EHR systems, improve service quality, and manage their healthcare IT (HIT) expenses.
IMS/TMS can enable smaller healthcare organizations to receive enterprise-level IT services without having to develop their own HIT team. Among the types of healthcare operations that benefit from IMS/TMS are:
- Ambulatory Clinics
- Ambulatory Surgical Centers
- Radiology and Imaging Centers
- Laboratories and Diagnostic Centers
- Pharmaceutical Companies
- Telemed and Remote Monitoring Services
- Walk-In Clinics and Doctors Offices
The quality of the clinical services that a medical office can provide depends heavily on the information systems that are available to them. Partnering with a knowledgeable IMS/TMS is an effective way to contain costs without sacrificing the quality of services that a medical practice can offer.
What is Healthcare IT Infrastructure?
Most people — even those outside the healthcare industry — are familiar with the physical infrastructure of clinics and hospitals. They see the buildings, treatment rooms, equipment, etc. However, when it comes to infrastructure components like telecommunications, data storage, electronic health records, and other platforms, even some healthcare workers have little more than a cursory understanding of how they actually work.
Healthcare technology is constantly evolving, and establishing a relationship with an experienced technical management service can enable practices to access high-level IT support without having to support an in-house IT team. This often results in improvements in the areas of operational efficiency, decreased costs, reduced staffing, improved security, and the ability to scale operations when necessary.
Here are a few of the areas of infrastructure that can be found in nearly every healthcare organization:
- Electronic Health Records
- Health Information Systems
- Telehealth Platforms
- Data Centers
- Networking Hardware
- Internet Technologies
- Cybersecurity Systems
- Regulatory Compliance Solutions
- Supply Chain Management
This is by no means an exhaustive list of the different technologies that affect medical facilities. However, despite the importance of these tools and platforms, many healthcare facilities do not have the IT support to optimize their infrastructure.
Benefits of Using IT Infrastructure Management Services
IMS/TMS helps medical providers reduce costs and create opportunities by augmenting their existing infrastructure support. Here are some of the advantages of using a top-tier infrastructure managed services provider:
High Level of Healthcare IT Expertise
The IMS/TMS sub-sector of healthcare employs some of the top professionals in the IT industry. Most companies rigorously vet their hires to ensure the highest quality of service to their clients.
Healthcare IT Cost Management
IMS/TMS usually have flexible packaging, so you can contract them for the specific services you need. For instance, if you need support to monitor, optimize, and manage your Epic, MEDITECH, or Cerner EHR, you will not have to pay for other services that you don’t require. Your IMS/TMS manages its staffing in accordance with your needs. In other words, partnering with an IMS/TMS can result in your administration being better able to predict and manage IT costs.
Peak Performance and Optimization
TMS staff members are constantly receiving updated training and certifications on the cutting-edge systems they support. They are able to analyze your system, improve efficiency, increase security, improve processes, and more. Few in-house IT departments maintain this level of proficiency. Not only can IMS/TMS professionals constantly monitor your system, but they stay ahead of updates and other factors that may affect your company’s future plans so you never have to worry about missing a beat.
Healthcare IT Security and Compliance
In addition to medical IT infrastructure training, IMS/TMS companies have security and compliance IT professionals on staff. An IMS/TMS can harden your infrastructure against cybercriminals and ransomware attacks. They can also ensure that your infrastructure is compliant with HIPAA and other regulations from top to bottom. Because so much of the information in the health industry is sensitive, it’s crucial for whoever is in control of the digital infrastructure to have solid protections in place to preserve this valuable data to improve patient security as well as confidence.
The Role of Infrastructure Management Services in Healthcare
Many healthcare companies that have never worked with an infrastructure management services provider are hesitant because they aren’t familiar with how this type of partnership works. Here are some examples of the types of services that an IMS/TMS provides to clients:
- Analyze and learn about the hardware and software that comprise the systems and subsystems that your clinicians, patients, support staff, and other stakeholders rely upon.
- Designate a team with specific industry knowledge about the services you require.
- Make cost-saving improvements to areas of your infrastructure that will also improve efficiency and overall quality of production.
- Monitor the performance of digital and physical infrastructure components to address issues before they result in interruptions to the operation.
- Rapidly respond to all service requests. Many IMS/TMS companies use ticket systems that enable service center technicians to respond to the request or elevate it to an expert.
- Identify areas to improve patient engagement and satisfaction.
- Ensure regulatory agency compliance.
- Develop security protocols for physical and digital assets, such as CCTC, RFID scanners, data encryption, AI-assisted security software, and more.
Frequently Asked Questions About Infrastructure Management Services
The following are some of the most commonly asked questions by our clients and potential clients. For answers to your specific questions, contact HCTec today. You can discuss your organizational needs with a HIT professional.
What are the Benefits of Contracting an IMS/TMS for IT Infrastructure Management?
To put it simply, infrastructure management services are able to offer more to your company at a lower cost. They can accomplish this by taking a tailored approach to our client’s requirements. Consider a small or medium healthcare organization with an in-house IT staff. This minimal staff is not only responsible for maintaining the physical and digital components of the IT system, but they must ensure regulatory compliance, protect the company against cybercriminals, respond to service tickets, etc. They may never have the time or ability to update their certifications or systems.
On the other hand, if the practice hires a technical managed services company, they can ensure that they will always have the resources they require to conduct smooth operations. Infrastructure experts receive ample time to update certifications and stay informed of any industry developments. Due to economies of scale, IMS/TMS companies are able to provide full services at a lower cost than hiring in-house staff. Additionally, if your company needs to scale, they can accommodate it without having to go through a time-consuming hiring campaign.
Do Infrastructure Management Services Replace An In-House IT Team?
When you hire a IMS/TMS, they can perform all of the functions of an in-house IT team and more. Because your designated technicians are part of a much more sizeable staff, they are able to draw upon any resources they require to keep your operations running smoothly.
What Safeguards are in Place to Prevent Interruptions to Our Operations?
An IMS/TMS can review all of the components of your infrastructure for which they’re responsible. They will then recommend areas for improvement that can bolster efficiency, lower costs, enhance performance, and reduce interruptions to service. An IMS/TMS will also establish maintenance protocols, including schedules for software updates. Once your systems have been optimized, they can proactively monitor them to ensure continuous operations. At HCTec, our four brick-and-mortar service centers operate continuously. Should an employee or patient require support, we are able to respond expeditiously.
HCTec for Your Technical Management Services
HCTec provides remote infrastructure management services to our healthcare partners. We offer a full range of 24x7x365 services from our four brick-and-mortar facilities, so you never have to wait for a response on a critical issue. It is a cost-effective way to rapidly build and scale infrastructure without impacting the quality of the services you offer your patients.
HCTec is the world’s premier provider of IT infrastructure management services. We do not provide a one-size-fits-all approach for our clients. Each plan is tailored to the specific needs of the organization. If you require top-tier infrastructure management at a reduced cost, contact HCTec today.