Top 10 Benefits of Dedicated IT Support Services

Are you looking for a way to increase the information technology security in your medical office?

Dedicated IT support services are an effective way to make your office more secure. After all, the Ponemon Institute reports that data breaches cost the U.S. healthcare industry more than $6.2 billion each year.

Protecting the personal health and financial information of your patients is an important part of helping your office be successful and stay compliant.

Read on to learn 10 benefits of dedicated IT support can have in your office.

1. Your IT Support Plan Provides Predictable Monthly Costs

When you hire an IT company to support your business, you are entering into an agreement that clearly outlines the cost of the service. There are no hidden costs, which means it’s easier for you to plan and budget.

From year to year, you may experience cost increases, but these will come in advance of any decision your office makes to continue the service.

2. Rely on an Experienced Team of IT Professionals

In today’s digital age, cybersecurity threats are at an all-time high in the United States. In 2016, cybercrime cost the global economy $450 billion, and over 100 million Americans had their medical records stolen.

The sheer cost of this threat means that having a team of experienced professionals at your service is important.

3. Focus on Running Your Business

Hiring a dedicated IT support company allows your office to focus on providing care and support to patients.

Doctors, administrators, and staff in your office can dedicate themselves to the medical and business side of the operation. They will avoid spending time trying to learn IT-related concepts, as the support staff you retain has that covered.

Since an IT support team is dedicated to that function, you also lower your risks. If you rely on untrained staff members to support IT, they will not have the specialized experience you need to protect your office.

4. Receive IT Service Round the Clock

You can be confident that your IT support team is available to assist you with your needs at any time of the day or night.

A cyber attack on your files can come at any time of the day. There is no “right” or “wrong” time for this sort of threat to become a reality. This means that an attack may take place long after your office staff has left for the day. It may be an attack that a doctor or administrator recognizes while checking work email on their phone or working after hours on their laptop.

This unfortunate reality means your business needs to know that they have someone to turn to whenever they need support. This is especially important because the longer your files are compromised, the more damage your medical office will suffer.

5. Benefit From a Business Continuity Plan

You can work with your IT support company to help identify the most important aspects of your business.

This will help them to develop a business continuity plan for your office. This is a plan of action for your company to follow in the event of a cyber attack or another disaster.

According to StorageCraft, 96% of companies with a backup and disaster recovery plan were able to survive a ransomware attack. Having a business continuity plan in place can help your office continue to operate with as little impact as possible to your patients.

6. Receive IT Updates as Needed

Your IT support team will update your IT security systems with the latest software needed to help your system deter cyber criminals.

Without a dedicated IT team for support services, your office would be forced to rely upon employees who may not be aware of the latest threats to your system.

When you have a team of IT professionals on your side, they dedicate themselves to learning about the current and future threats to guard against. This helps them to keep your systems a step ahead of the hackers.

7. Virtualization Allows for Easy IT System Access

IT support teams offer on-site and remote support for your systems. This feature helps your IT professionals develop a centralized location for you and other staff members to access your IT systems.

This is especially important for your practice if you have multiple locations or if you have medical professionals who travel and need access to certain systems from afar.

Without this system in place, you may have to log in to multiple systems to resolve problems or be forced to access these systems from a computer at only one physical location.

8. Align Your IT and Business Goals

Your office will benefit from aligning your IT system with your business goals. This helps to make for a smoother transition as your medical office continues to grow.

For example, as your business grows, you want your IT system to also develop alongside it. If your practice experiences growth too quickly while your IT system lags behind it, this can hold you back.

IT support professionals will actively monitor the data and your system to ensure that things are running smoothly and you have the safeguards you need for your practice.

9. Benefit From Going Green

Your business can benefit from being more environmentally friendly by hiring a dedicated support team for your IT needs.

These IT support companies help centralize your computer systems, essentially reducing the number needed to operate your business. With fewer computers, you cut down on the amount of power you are using.

This helps you save money while also helping to protect our planet.

10. Be Pro-Active Against Cyber Threats

Your IT team will be pro-active against threats by studying the way your business operates.

This allows them to recognize concerning behavior in the digital operations of your business.

By doing so, the IT team will be able to make recommendations about best practices. They can also offer ways for your employees to be pro-active against the threats facing your business.

Wrapping Up: The Importance of Supporting Your IT System

A dedicated support team will help your business with its IT security needs.

This can help make the difference between stopping a threat or missing the warning signs and becoming a victim.

The HIPAA Security Suite is a comprehensive risk assessment tool used to help protect your business from cyber threats. We use a unique system designed to assess risks, document procedures and train your employees.

Contact us today to learn more about our services and how we can help protect your office and your patients’ information.

HIPAA Security Reminders

 

HIPAA Security Suite has developed a weekly HIPAA Security Reminder series that’s FREE for all of us who are responsible for, or engaged in, the use and protection of PHI.

Pursuant to Section 164.308(a)(5) of the HIPAA Security Rule, the Standard states: Implement a security awareness and training program for all members of its workforce (including management).

This standard is part of our Best Practices Recommendations for HIPAA Security Suite users, but it’s available for FREE to anyone who wants to comply with HIPAA using the easiest, best tools available.

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