Most administrators only think about IT support when something breaks. A new year offers a better moment: step back and ask whether your support arrangement is actually serving the facility. Whether you use an outside provider, an in-house person or a mix, a short scorecard turns vague impressions into specific questions, and gives you something concrete to discuss.
Here is a practical scorecard you can complete in an hour with your support provider or IT lead.
Look at the last quarter of tickets.
How quickly were urgent issues acknowledged and worked on?
How long did typical requests take to resolve?
Were after-hours and weekend problems handled promptly?
Do the actual results match the targets in your agreement?
Ask for a report instead of relying on memory. Staff frustration is also data, so ask a few nurses and department heads how support feels to them.
Count and review outages and major disruptions.
How many times were key systems unavailable, and for how long?
Were root causes identified and fixed, or did the same problem return?
Which units or locations report the most problems?
Is aging equipment causing repeat issues?
Repeat problems are a sign that someone is fixing symptoms without addressing causes.
Review the basics.
Is multifactor authentication enabled for email and remote access?
Are laptops and portable devices encrypted?
Are patches applied on a regular schedule, and can you see a report?
Are backups tested, with an isolated copy?
Has staff security awareness training been completed and documented?
Is there a written incident response plan that has been reviewed in the past year?
You do not need to understand every technical detail, but you should be able to get a clear yes or no and evidence.
Is there a current HIPAA security risk analysis, and who owns it?
Does your IT provider have a signed business associate agreement with you?
Are vendor agreements and access lists reviewed regularly?
Can IT produce documentation for audits and insurance applications when asked?
Good support is not only technical.
Do you receive regular reports in plain English?
Are planned maintenance and changes announced ahead of time?
When something goes wrong, do you hear about it from the provider first?
Do technicians explain things to staff without jargon?
Is there a documented list of equipment and its age, with a replacement forecast?
Do you know which systems are near end of support?
Is there a technology roadmap for the next twelve months, with costs?
Are improvement suggestions presented proactively, or only when you ask?
Surprises are expensive. A good provider helps you anticipate costs.
Do you understand what is included in your agreement and what is billed separately?
Do invoices match the services described?
Are you getting the benefits you expected when you signed?
Rate each category from one to five, and add short comments. Then:
Share the results with your IT provider or lead before a meeting.
Agree on two or three improvements for the quarter.
Assign owners and dates.
Revisit the scorecard every quarter, and compare progress.
If you find large gaps that are not being addressed, it may be time to renegotiate your agreement or consider alternatives. A good provider welcomes the review.
A short, anonymous survey of department heads and floor staff can reveal problems that tickets do not. Ask three questions: what works well, what frustrates you and what would help you most.
UnityCare IT offers healthcare organizations a review of their current IT environment and support arrangement, whether or not they are our clients. If you would like an outside perspective on your scorecard results, we are happy to talk.
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