Health care facilities have a history of a mismatch of resources devoted to computer network support and their objective IT support needs, especially when HIPAA and HITECH compliance are taken into account.

1. Finding Computer Support Company for
Nursing Facility
Health care facilities have a history of a mismatch
of resources devoted to computer network support
and their objective IT support needs, especially
when HIPAA and HITECH compliance are taken
into account. This approach by mostly small
operators of nursing homes has led to a trend of
fines and closings of facilities due to poor data
security and lack of data security compliance.
Nursing and Health Care Facility’s IT Needs
A typical nursing home has at least a dozen computers and sometimes several
dozen with at least one or two servers providing clinical software package
hosting. Additional hosting is provided to email applications, time-clock programs,
and other applications. Additional servers could be utilized for Remote Desktop
Protocol (RDP) and other uses. The environment usually includes a domain
setup and multi-site links between several facilities and the home office. Each
facilities could have its own specific configurations in all of these applications.
As is evident from the description above, there is a level of complexity due to the
integration of many systems and applications across locations that could pose a
risk to both system stability, integrity, and security compliance. A design and a
comprehensive plan is necessary in systems that have such complexity.
Often the many software packages that are utilized by the convalescent homes
and nursing facilities require constant IT support and supervision. The
developers of the packages, especially of the clinical software, usually need to
provide periodic support to keep the system functioning effectively. Only a
professional and organized IT support company should be maintaining networks
such as these.
How to Chose an IT Provider for a Nursing Home
There three key factors to consider when selecting a computer network support
company in the health care facility industry.
Industry Experience
It is critical for the IT consulting firm to have extensive industry experience that
can be leveraged to efficiently maintaining the facility’s specific network and
application needs. It is inefficient and risky to entrust IT operations to IT
consulting firms that do not possess specific and extensive skills in the clinical
support packages currently used by the industry, such as Quick Care, Keane
Care, Accu Care, and Point Click Care.

2. It is even more risky to rely on IT support firms with no concrete understanding of
how to maintain standards of data process and data security in compliance with
HIPAA and HITECH regulations.
Organization and Supervision
Having appropriate experience is not enough to guarantee compliance and
efficient operations of the computer network of nursing homes. The IT Support
company is obligated to demonstrate a level of internal organization that can
ensure that it can expediently and timely respond to all the needs of the a nursing
home chain at the same time and in multiple locations. Also, all work performed
must be supervised by the IT provider and quality control has to be performed
before the work is finalized. Such operations require a high level of organization
and strict adherence to company policies.
Industry Participation
It is very important for IT Consulting companies that provide IT support to the
skilled nursing home facilities and chains to conduct continuous industry specific
learning. That means that the provider needs to be involved in various
professional health facilities and nursing home associations. Having a computer
network provider that is a member of the industry associations is a big plus in
analyzing which firm to select for the responsibility of maintaining and upgrading
IT networks for convalescent homes. For additional information, visit
www.thetechinfogroup.com at 5800 Hannum Ave Culver City, CA 90230 to learn
more.
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