The benefits of hiring an MSP for dental practices
When we talk about the benefits of hiring a Managed Services Provider (MSP) for businesses, the kind of businesses we think about are retail, shops, restaurants, etc. We often tend to overlook the healthcare industry and particularly, dental practices, when, in fact, there’s a lot of value that an MSP can add to a dental practice.
Timely support
Having an MSP on board ensures you get timely IT support. It is like having an IT team at your beck and call. On the other hand, if you don’t have a service level agreement with an MSP, there’s no guarantee that you’ll get the IT help you need when you need it. MSPs tend to give preference to their Service Level Agreement (SLA) customers over one-off calls.
Reduced IT costs
An SLA with an MSP is always less expensive in the long run than adopting a fire-fighting approach to IT problems. When you rely on an IT technician to resolve your IT problem on-call, you are charged for the service on an hourly basis. Usually, the per hour rate is also quite high. If you sign up with an MSP, depending on your contract, you will be paying a fixed amount monthly or annually, and the MSP is bound to fix your IT problems at no additional charge irrespective of how long it takes.
Legal and regulatory requirements auch as HIPAA and PCI
Being a dental practice, you will be governed by the HIPAA regulations. You also need to adhere to Payment Card Industry Standards (PCIS). You need to ensure you comply with these regulations at all times. Failure to do so can attract severe legal penalties and fines. Partnering with an MSP who is well versed with the IT regulations related to your industry can be of immense added value.
Software/hardwareinstallation
Technology is changing the landscape of medical practices, including dental. Your MSP can guide you when it comes to choosing hardware or software, procure it for you and provide assistance with its installation and repair, if needed.
No doubt, having an MSP to manage the IT requirements of your dental practice offers multiple benefits. But, be sure to consider the following before you sign up with one.
Experience
Check how experienced your MSP is in this line of business. Does the MSP service all dental clients such as general, pedo, endo, oral, etc.? How many dental clients is the MSP serving currently? With which kinds of practice management software is the MSP well versed? Is the MSP familiar with Dentrix, Softdent, Orthotrac, TDO or new cloud software like Curve? Getting answers to these questions is very important before you proceed.
Proximity
When your IT system breaks, it can virtually bring your whole dental practice to a “grinding” halt. What you need is quick, timely support. Signing up with an MSP who is close to your location and can be at your office on short notice is a huge plus.
Downtime guarantee
Check if your MSP offers cyber insurance or downtime guarantee. When your IT shuts down, you lose business. Many MSPs provide downtime guarantee; that is, offering a commitment that your downtime will be limited to a certain number of hours — sometimes even zero. In the event this guarantee is breached, the MSP will compensate you. Opting for an MSP who offers such guarantees is simply safer.
Hiring an MSP to manage the IT needs of your dental practice is a great decision to save you both time and money. The right MSP partner will help you grow and give you a reason to smile.
