Directors of nursing and administrators judge IT support by how it feels: whether the medication cart works, whether the printer prints and whether someone answers the phone. Feelings matter, but they can mislead. One bad Tuesday can overshadow a month of steady service, and a quiet chronic problem can go unnoticed because staff learned to work around it.
A few well-chosen measures give you an objective view. You do not need to become a technician. You only need to ask for the right numbers and know what they mean.
This measures how long it takes from the moment a staff member reports a problem until a human begins working on it. An automatic confirmation email does not count. Ask for the average and also the worst cases, because averages hide long waits.
What to look for: Critical issues, such as a downed EHR, should get an immediate reply. Compare actual times with the service levels in your contract.
This measures how long until the problem is fixed or a workaround is in place. Break it down by priority level, since a password reset and a server failure are very different.
What to look for: Steady or improving numbers, with explanations for outliers.
This is the share of problems solved on the first call or chat, without handoffs. A high rate usually means competent first-line technicians and good documentation. A low rate can mean staff are being bounced between people.
What to look for: Rising rates over time as documentation improves. Ask what common problems are not being solved on first contact and why.
This is arguably the most valuable number. It lists problems that keep coming back, such as the same printer failing, the same cart losing Wi-Fi or the same user locked out repeatedly.
What to look for: A short list of the top recurring problems, with a plan to fix the root cause. Good providers use ticket data to identify patterns, not just close tickets.
Seeing tickets sorted by type and by unit can reveal weak spots. A spike of Wi-Fi complaints in one wing may point to a failing access point. Many password issues may indicate the need for training or a better sign-in method.
What to look for: Patterns that suggest proactive fixes, such as hardware replacement or targeted training.
Brief surveys after a ticket closes, such as one question and an optional comment, tell you how staff experience support. Review comments for themes.
What to look for: Not just the score but the reasons behind low ratings. Comments such as I had to explain the problem three times point to process issues.
Some of the most important indicators are not support tickets at all.
Patch status: What share of devices are current on updates?
Backup success: Did every backup run, and when was the last restore test?
Open security items: What risks are known and who owns them?
Onboarding speed: How quickly are new hires set up with working accounts?
Offboarding speed: How quickly is access removed when someone leaves?
Ask your provider for a one-page summary with these items. Review it in a short monthly meeting, ideally including someone from clinical leadership. Keep the focus on trends and decisions, not on individual tickets.
Metrics are conversation starters, not weapons. If targets are missed, ask why and what will change. If recurring issues persist, ask for a root-cause plan. If everything looks good, share that with staff, who often only hear about technology when it fails.
Numbers do not capture courtesy, patience and respect for clinical time. Pair data with direct feedback from your nurses and aides, and ask whether technicians understand the urgency of a medication pass.
UnityCare IT provides a concise monthly report with these measures and is happy to review your current numbers with your leadership team.
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New customers: start@unitycareit.com
Existing customers: support@unitycareit.com
Address: UnityCare Technologies, 2524 N Broadway Ste 554, PMB 947974, Edmond, Oklahoma 73034-4172