It is a common complaint at the nurses' station: "PointClickCare is slow today." The truth is that the application itself, the internet connection, the Wi-Fi, the workstation and even a single cable can each be the cause. Calling the vendor first often wastes time if the problem is inside your building. A few quick checks can tell you where to look.
This guide is written for administrators, DONs and office managers who want to help IT or their provider narrow things down. You do not need to be technical to run most of these.
Before touching anything, gather facts.
Who is affected? One person, one unit, one building or everybody?
What is slow? Only the EHR, or other websites and email too?
When does it happen? All day, or at certain times, such as shift change or when many people sign in?
Which devices? Wired desktops, Wi-Fi laptops, tablets or carts?
When did it start? After a change, such as new equipment, a software update or a move?
Patterns point to causes. One person on one computer suggests a device problem. One wing on Wi-Fi suggests a wireless issue. Everyone at the same time suggests the internet connection or something shared.
Open a few unrelated websites on the same device. If they are slow too, the problem is likely your network or internet service. If other sites are fast and only the EHR lags, the issue may be the application, the vendor's service or something specific to how your network handles that traffic. The vendor's status page or support line can confirm whether they have a known issue.
Try a wired computer and a Wi-Fi device side by side. If the wired computer is fine and Wi-Fi is slow, focus on wireless: weak coverage, too many devices, interference or an overloaded access point. If both are slow, move on to the internet connection.
Slowness that appears when many people are online can mean your bandwidth is being consumed. Common culprits include:
Large downloads or software updates running during the day.
Cloud backups running at peak hours.
Streaming video or music, including resident Wi-Fi sharing the same connection as staff.
Security cameras uploading to the cloud.
Your IT provider can view usage on the firewall or router and identify the heaviest users. Scheduling backups and updates overnight often helps, as does separating guest and resident traffic from clinical traffic.
It is a cliché for a reason. Restarting the browser, the workstation, the access point or the router can clear temporary problems. If a restart of one device fixes it, note it and see whether it returns. Frequent recurrence points to something that needs replacing or updating.
Is the browser up to date, and are there too many tabs or extensions?
Is the computer old, low on memory or running out of disk space?
Is antivirus scanning in the middle of the day?
Is the cable firmly connected, and does the network light blink normally?
Try a different browser, or a different computer, to isolate the issue.
Damaged cables, loose connections and failing switches can cause intermittent slowness that is difficult to diagnose. If a single room or desk is always slow, swap the cable and try another wall port. Ask IT to check the switch port for errors.
In a long-term care building, thick walls, elevators and distance can create dead spots. Medication carts and tablets move between access points constantly. If problems follow people down the hall, ask for a wireless survey. Coverage that was fine with 50 devices may not be fine with 150.
Contact the EHR vendor if:
Several unrelated locations report the same problem.
Other sites load quickly, while the EHR does not, across all devices.
The vendor's status page shows an incident.
Have your notes ready: time, who is affected, what you tested and what you saw. That makes the call far more productive.
A shared log of slowness reports, with date, time, unit and symptoms, turns vague complaints into patterns. After a few weeks you may see that slow periods match the nightly backup or the morning rush.
UnityCare IT supports healthcare and senior-living facilities across Oklahoma, Texas and Arkansas with network monitoring, Wi-Fi assessments and helpdesk support. If you want help finding the real cause of recurring slowness, we can walk through these checks with you and monitor the results.
Keeping PointClickCare and other EHR systems fast, connected and available.
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