Don’t forget about services!
Cars. Kitchen appliances. Medication dispensing cabinets. What do they have in common? Most of today’s high-performance models are powered by advanced technology and are unavoidably subject to technical difficulties. In healthcare especially, planning for preventive maintenance, updates, and quick resolution of repairs when things go south is an important part of protecting both your investment and important data related to your patients and facility. So, when it comes to choosing a healthcare information technology (HIT) partner, don’t forget to consider all aspects of the services offered before signing on the dotted line.
Consider this: the average life of even the best-in-class desktop computers is about five years. Medication dispensing cabinets are accessed as much as 140,000 times per year depending on the type of facility, with an average life of around eight years. So preventive maintenance programs are essential for keeping information technology up and running. Without one, your facility could wind up a higher overall cost of ownership than necessary.
In addition to maintenance programs, truly top-notch service is comprehensive, ensuring you’ve covered the breadth of service activities, from installation, configuration, training, integration and beyond. To begin, it’s a good idea to ask your intended technology partners to conduct a pre-sale space assessment. The company should be willing to send out an expert representative who will analyze your facility’s needs and workflow. From that assessment, the vendor will recommend solutions to best fit your environment’s size and workflow. You may also want to ask your HIT partner if they offer demo units to aid in the decision-making process.
Once you’ve decided on the equipment you’ll purchase, you’ll want to make sure the entire process is managed by a qualified professional services project. Also, take the time to carefully review warranty and post-implementation maintenance. Dedicated providers will usually work with you even when your warranty is running out to find solutions that ensure your facility has equipment that continues to run stably.
And finally, be sure to evaluate your HIT partner’s customer service and technical support track record. Whether calling for help with orders, product deployment, technical questions, or repairs, you want to reach someone ready to provide personalized service, attention to detail, and a sincere sense of urgency when addressing your concerns.
At TouchPoint, our customers and their patient are our top priority. Our service teams are specially trained to work collaboratively with your organization to solve problems, achieve goals and meet your most demanding healthcare IT needs so that you can stay focused on patient outcomes. Contact our Customer Service Department for help with orders. For assistance deploying TPM equipment, you’ll want to connect with our Professional Services department. And our Technical Support staff is standing by to support your existing products. For repairs or preventive maintenance, TPM’s field service professionals are here to help.
