Ask anyone who supports a clinic, office or care facility which problem generates the most small tickets, and printers usually land near the top. A printer is offline, a driver is wrong, a label printer prints blank pages, a toner cartridge is out and nobody knows where the spare is. None of these is serious alone, but together they eat hours and frustrate the staff who need to print a face sheet or a medication label right now.
Most of these problems come from variety and neglect. A fleet made up of many models, installed at different times and managed by whoever was available, is hard to support. Here is how to bring order to it.
Start with an inventory. For each printer, note the make and model, location, how it connects to the network, the IP address or print server name, who uses it, the supply type and the age. Include copiers, label printers and specialty devices. You will probably find duplicates, retired models still on the network and printers that nobody uses.
Every additional model means another driver, another supply type and another set of quirks. As devices wear out, replace them with a small number of standard models. Choose business-class equipment with good support rather than the cheapest consumer device. Consider:
A standard model for office and nursing station use
A standard label or wristband printer, if applicable
A standard multifunction device for scanning and copying
Check that your clinical software supports the model before purchasing, especially for labels and forms with specific formats.
Many printing issues are driver issues. Staff install whatever the computer finds, and the result is a patchwork.
Choose a recommended driver for each model, and test it with your key applications.
Install printers centrally, using a print server or management tools, so users do not choose drivers themselves.
Give printers fixed addresses or reserved addresses, so they do not move after a power outage.
Use clear names, such as a unit or room name, instead of model numbers.
Document the setup so replacement is routine.
When a new computer is deployed, it should receive the standard printer set for that location automatically.
Running out of toner is the most preventable printing problem. Options include:
Setting a minimum quantity for each cartridge type and reordering when stock falls below it
Keeping a shared supply closet with a simple log
Enabling low-supply alerts through the printer or management software
Considering a managed print contract, which may include supplies and service for a monthly fee
Use the same brand and type of consumables wherever possible. Mixed or refilled cartridges can cause quality issues and shorten equipment life.
Schedule routine care such as cleaning, firmware updates and replacing worn parts. Keep a record of service calls and repeated problems so you can identify devices that are costing more than they are worth. A printer that jams every week should be replaced.
Printers are networked computers and are often overlooked in security reviews.
Change default administrator passwords
Keep firmware current
Disable unused services
Place printers on the appropriate network segment
Protect stored documents, since many multifunction devices keep copies of scans
Use secure release or badge printing for documents containing protected health information, so pages are not left in the tray
Wipe or remove storage from retired devices before disposal.
Post a short guide near each printer with its name, the contact for help and basic steps such as clearing a jam. Teach staff the first things to try, such as checking paper and power, before submitting a ticket. A simple request process for new printers prevents unsanctioned purchases.
Look at ticket data every quarter. Which models, locations or drivers cause the most calls? Use the answers to decide what to replace or standardize next.
UnityCare IT inventories and standardizes printer fleets for medical offices and care facilities across Oklahoma, Texas and Arkansas, including drivers, supplies and security settings, so printing becomes a background service instead of a daily interruption.
An outsourced IT department with proactive maintenance and one number to call.
Call or text: 405-285-3845
New customers: start@unitycareit.com
Existing customers: support@unitycareit.com
Address: UnityCare Technologies, 2524 N Broadway Ste 554, PMB 947974, Edmond, Oklahoma 73034-4172