Pop quiz: Who is Cinderella? You probably thought of the beloved princess, but in this case study, Cinderella is the name of a firewall. She’s joined by Mickey the server.
Now you’re thinking, “Well, that’s…fun…but for a healthcare practice? Maybe that’s not the best fit.”
We agree! Disney characters are great, but not for your IT network. Healthcare practices do incredibly important work, and your IT processes and IT provider should match that level of competency.
Practices that are getting frustrated with their IT provider need a provider who has experience with healthcare strategy and HIPAA compliance. This is the only way to help your practice scale and grow securely. Our experience with the Arizona Institute of Urology (AIU) shows how a practice that’s struggling with a poorly-run IT department can have a fairy tale ending.
Managed IT Services for the Arizona Institute of Urology
AIU has been serving Southern Arizona for more than 20 years. Our story begins, “Once upon a time…” while the practice was undergoing enormous change due to mergers and growth - in many ways, it was as if they were starting over again. They were in desperate need of an IT provider that could provide a cohesive and scalable strategy.
Since starting our partnership with AIU in 2010, the goal has always been to strategically use technology to grow their practice and create a better patient experience. Currently, AIU has six offices, including a cancer center; they server thousands of Tucson-area patients with 14 providers (physicians and physician assistants) and 100+ employees.
The Problem
The pace of growth was overwhelming, and the network was showing the signs – a tangled server room and jumbled processes. They knew that a network named after Disney characters was not going to cut it. Finding an IT provider with the knowledge and professionalism to help organize their systems and guide their strategy was the only way to scale to meet their anticipated growth.
AIU faced several challenges while searching for a new IT provider. They didn’t want just an IT “guy” - an individual who was going to try to handle the intricacies of healthcare IT and HIPAA compliance. They needed managed IT services with specialization in healthcare.
Unfortunately, a lot of the IT providers they met with spoke in tech jargon and acronyms – they didn’t speak to AIU, they tried to speak over them. They wanted an IT partner who understood their business and would make recommendations working alongside them.
The Solution
AIU found their happily-ever-after with Silverado. Our team had the know-how and experience that AIU needed, combined with business acumen and approachable communication style. We pointed out their critical issues and problems and worked with them to get AIU where they wanted to be.
Our first goal was to review and address any potential HIPAA concerns. Maintaining HIPAA compliance remains our primary focus. We went through their systems to provide consistency and standardization and to ensure compliance and security.
During the onboarding process – which can take up to two months to complete – we covered best practices of IT management, like conventional naming of servers and computers, standardization, and policies. We also focused on critical, high-priority projects, like HIPAA compliance. Part of onboarding is also making major infrastructure investments to upgrade servers, switches, and firewalls. We work with each client’s budget to attain this in a manageable way.
The Results
We’re thrilled to say that AIU has seen continuous growth since they began working with us.
"AIU and Silverado have grown together during the last nine years," Lisa Dangle, Practice Administrator, says. "We use our technology to achieve our strategic goal of being more patient-focused. This includes using technology to meet with patients quicker, access patients records whenever and wherever we need, and ensure the security and privacy of our patient data."
We’ve been able to use technology that helps AIU reach their goal of being patient-focused and providing greater patient satisfaction. Here are just some of the leaps we’ve made:
- Enhanced virtual environment to support Intergy and UroChart
- New applications and technology
- Upgraded application(s) for their cancer center
- Introducing exam room PCs for more efficient patient care.
- Secure, remote access to critical data and patient records.
- Improved security against threats with a next-generation firewall
Are you ready to invest in a professional IT partner? Then it’s time to meet with one of our Technology Consultants to learn more about how Silverado Technologies Managed IT Services and HIPAA expertise can empower your medical practice. Reach out at 520.903.1580 or contact us now.
