Do you ever feel like your dental office IT systems are always broken no matter what you do? The patient management system is down, or the software is being updated. Whatever the problem is, you’ve got to lean hard on your in-house IT team to fix it.
That’s the difference between ‘good IT’ and ‘great IT.’
But it’s not just the day-to-day headaches – great IT solutions can actually save your dental practice time and money, opening the door to previously untapped opportunities. Not convinced? Below, we detail 6 issues and opportunities outsourcing your dental office IT can solve.
How Great Dental Office IT Can Change Your Business
Increased Efficiency
Doing more with less is the dream of every business owner. In a nutshell, that’s what efficiency is. Technology should (theoretically, at least) allow us to increase the productivity and efficiency of our employees.
The problem comes when IT systems aren’t continually updated or managed correctly. Outsourcing your IT solutions increases the technical know-how and resources available to you.
For example, an outsourced IT technician spends less time researching the latest products and tools. They can recommend exactly what solutions you need to boost your productivity. Moreover, they’ll keep your systems running at optimum performance, updating and maintaining software to minimize any downtime.
Decreased Support Call Time
Everyone hates wasting time. Reducing the time taken to resolve technical issues or support queries is what separates good dental office IT support from great.
Decreased support call times can lead to numerous benefits, including:
- Less Downtime: Quick resolutions mean the office experiences minimal interruptions, allowing dental staff to focus on patient care rather than IT issues.
- Improved Productivity: With fewer and shorter disruptions, the dental team can maintain a steady workflow, improving overall productivity.
- Enhanced Customer Service: When IT systems function smoothly, patient interactions are more likely to be positive, without delays caused by technical issues.
- Cost Savings: Less time spent on calls with IT support can translate into lower support costs and more efficient use of staff time.
- Staff Satisfaction: Reducing the frustration of dealing with technical problems can lead to greater job satisfaction among the dental office staff.
Enhanced Data Security
In 2022, the ADA advised dentists and their staff to be on high alert for internet security risks. The announcement was issued following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. However, cybercrime has steadily risen over the past decade, becoming a significant threat to data-rich businesses.
Ransomware, in particular, could encrypt a dental practice’s data, only allowing access if a ransom is paid. It’s not uncommon. The UK’s health service was infected with ransomware in 2017.
The best dental office IT companies take cybersecurity seriously. That doesn’t just mean updating antivirus and antimalware programs, conducting regular scans, implementing multifactor authentications, and other cybersecurity defenses. It’s also about training staff.
Good IT companies do the former, but great IT companies know that the human element is often the weakest link. Only by training dental staff in identifying phishing emails, choosing a strong password, and other security measures can a dental practice safeguard against online threats.
Scalability
Sometimes, expanding a business can feel like more hassle than it’s worth. Say your dental practice is acquiring a nearby business, or you’re expanding to new premises. Not only do you need more support staff overall, but your IT systems need to grow to accommodate the new demands.
No matter how good your in-house IT department is, hiring new staff, equipment, and software is expensive. And you may not even need most of it, most of the time.
In contrast, outsourced IT services scale with you, providing more resources or advanced technologies without hiring or training additional staff. That minimizes your costs overall, saving you money in the long term.
Better Dental Services
Dentists are trained and specialized in doing one thing: carrying out procedures on patients. Dental schools don’t teach the ins and outs of macros and modems, just molars and mandibles. That means dentists must learn the finer points of IT on the fly as they manage their in-house team.
After all, that’s key difference between the good and the great is management. Good IT services will do what you tell them; great IT services will tell you what they want to do.
That leaves dentists free to do what they do best. But more than that, with greater time to invest in patient care, dentists can learn new procedures, expand their skills, invest in the latest equipment and build a trusted brand.
Proactive IT Solutions
Proactive IT solutions are a game-changer for dental offices. Unlike reactive approaches that only address issues after they surfaced, proactive dental office IT handles problems before they occur.
For example:
- Predictive Maintenance. Regularly monitoring your IT infrastructure helps identify potential issues remedying the problem before they escalate. Think of it as performing a filling to avoid a future root canal.
- Automated Updates. Keeping your IT system up-to-date is the simplest and best way to reduce vulnerabilities and compliance risks. That includes installing the latest software patches and identifying new tools to purchase.
- Strategic IT Planning. Great IT companies work with you to understand your practice’s goals and tailor IT strategies to support your business growth.
- Early Detection of Security Threats. Proactive cybersecurity measures continuously surveil for suspicious activities. In addition, they also backup and encrypt your patient data to ensure it stays safe.
Closing Thoughts
In dental office IT support, ‘good IT’ merely keeps the ship afloat, but ‘great IT’ propels it forward. Beyond fixing glitches or reacting to downed systems, the best IT solutions help streamline operations, bolster security, and enable growth.
They transform mundane IT into a strategic ally, helping you scale your operations and offer patients a great experience.
For most dental practices, accessing the best IT support means outsourcing to a specialist agency. The upsides are clear: investing in superior IT solutions isn’t just smart – it’s indispensable for solving complex issues and opening new opportunities.
Sources:
https://businesspartnermagazine.com/how-managed-it-save-business-money/
https://www.executech.com/insights/4-ways-outsourcing-it-saves-money/
