When it comes to advancing health equity, Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) and non-profit clinics play a key role in improving healthcare access for medically underserved areas and populations.
These mission-driven organizations help everyone receive the primary care services they need, regardless of their ability to pay. But providing healthcare for underserved populations comes with its fair share of challenges – particularly as it relates to staying up-to-date in the constantly evolving world of healthcare IT.
As an IT consultant that works almost exclusively with FQHCs, I know these organizations are working with limited budgets and resources compared to a large health system. And most lack the staffing and expertise needed to offer secure, best-in-class technology solutions.
With these challenges in mind, I’ve discovered that outsourcing health information technology (HIT) and health information infrastructure (HII) is a great option for FQHCs that can help improve the quality and reliability of IT services while reducing overall costs.
Here are 5 reasons why your FQHC should outsource its IT services:
1. Gain IT expertise.
In my work with FQHCs, I often hear about how challenging it is to find qualified IT staff. Salaries for IT roles at FQHCs are often low compared to comparable opportunities. Hiring from within the communities you serve can make it hard to find employees with the right skill sets. And staff retention is often a problem, too. When you outsource all or part of your IT services to a third party, you don’t have to worry about hiring staff with the right skills. Instead, you can tap into the expertise of a trusted partner.
2. Offer 24/7 support.
When you fully rely on your own staffing, your ability to handle IT tasks is limited to business hours. Outsourced IT services, on the other hand, provide 24/7 access to live IT support for your FQHC’s staff and providers. So whenever they encounter an IT issue, there will always be a live person who’s willing and able to help.
3. Improve standardization.
By using a third-party expert to manage your IT services, you can benefit from a level of standardization that’s often unheard of in FQHCs. Managed services platforms like MedConnect are built to operate efficiently at scale. We accomplish this by designing every location and system to function consistently, resulting in predictable, easy-to-manage operations.
4. Implement best practices.
Another advantage to outsourcing your IT services is the ability to upgrade your old, outdated infrastructure. By working with a managed services provider, you gain access to best-in-class equipment and technology – without a large, upfront capital investment. With these upgrades, nearly every aspect of your operations in your FQHC will function better and faster. To learn more about implementing IT best practices, check out our white paper: HIT Best Practices for Federally Qualified Health Centers.
5. Save on IT costs.
One of the most compelling benefits of outsourcing IT services is calculating how much you will save on annual IT expenses. By working with a managed services partner, you can reduce salary and benefits expenses by opting for a stable, predictable monthly operating expense. Using our managed services platform, MedConnect, we’ve helped FQHCs reduce their annual IT costs by up to 60% – while gaining access to best-in-class technology and 24/7 support.
Is Outsourcing IT the Right Choice For You?
At MyConnectSolutions, we’ve helped Federally Qualified Health Centers just like yours implement HIT best practices – while saving millions of dollars by reducing their annual IT expenses. To discover whether or not outsourcing is right for you, let our team conduct a free HIT Gap Analysis. To get started, email [email protected] or visit myconnectsolutions.com/lp-save40.