Why Do Most Vet Clinics In Dallas/Fort Worth Fall Behind When It Comes To Information Technology Systems?
If you're one of those veterinarians who waits until your technology breaks rather than being proactive, you could be in for trouble. Without your computers and data, you can't see customers, record your services or accept payments. Someone will surely be in the "dog house" when this happens! Keep technology up and running. Avoid these 4 common IT mistakes veterinary practices in Dallas/Fort Worth make.
As the owner of a veterinary practice, you focus on the care of your patients. But, without an added focus on the health of your technology, you won't be able to take care of your four-legged friends.
4 Common Errors Veterinarians Make Because They Lack Reliable IT Services & Tech Support
1. No Preventive IT Maintenance
Are you practicing what you preach? Just like you prescribe preventive care for the animals you treat, you should get the same for your technology.
We know the last thing you want is unexpected costs. But this is what you're in for if your computers malfunction, software crashes, or data is accidentally deleted. If your system goes down for even a few days, you could lose tens of thousands of dollars in productivity and revenue.
IT service and support companies like Data Magic provide Managed IT Services that deliver proactive management and monitoring to keep tabs on the health of your technology. If a reliability or security issue is brewing, we'll see it before it results in interruptions to your workflow.
And, just like you provide 24/7 service for your patients, you'll benefit from the 24/7 support that Managed IT Services provide.
2. Inadequate Cybersecurity
You can no longer rely on single solutions to protect your digital files. Antivirus and antispam software aren't enough. Without today's defense-in-depth IT security, you might as well leave your doors open and passwords up on your computer screens.
You can't take chances where the security of your customers' confidential data is concerned. Once customers find out that their credit card numbers were breached, the word will get out, and they'll take their business to the vet down the road.
Defense-in-Depth solutions provide the layered protection you need. If one level fails, another kicks in. This is necessary today because there are so many potential cyber threats and a wide variety of attack vectors.
This method is more likely to quickly catch and mitigate new viruses than using off-the-shelf security solutions. Although more expensive, having "best-of-breed" network security is much less costly than the high cost of downtime, lost productivity, lost revenue, and a bad reputation.
Also, make sure your staff undergoes Security Awareness Training so they aren't tricked by today's phishing emails that contain malicious and infectious computer viruses.
3. Outdated Computers & Technology
If you're using computers and operating systems that are older than three to five years, you're asking for trouble. Software developers are updating their solutions faster than ever. It will only be a matter of time before you'll lose the support you need.
A great solution these days is Hardware-as-a-Service. HaaS allows you to pay a flat monthly rate for all of your computing needs. For a fixed, monthly fee, all of your PCs, laptops, cloud solutions, cloud servers, and other technology can be provided. You'll always have the IT service and support you need because it benefits your IT company to keep them running at peak performance.
After three years, all of your technology will be upgraded at no cost, (or earlier if needed for a nominal fee). HaaS is increasingly being used by veterinary practices to save money while accessing the most up-to-date technology.
4. Unreliable Data Backups
Without both an onsite and enterprise-based cloud backup solution you could be left without your digital files. Whether due to a natural disaster like a fierce summer or winter storm, or human error where files are deleted, access to your digital files could be in jeopardy.
Ask us about a business continuity plan for your practice. This ensures you always have 24/7 access to your data, and that if lost, stolen or damaged, you can recover your digital files quickly. It's equally important to regularly test, validate, and refresh your business continuity plan.
Contact Your Vet Clinic/Animal Hospital IT Support Experts In Dallas/Fort Worth
These are the 4 most common mistakes veterinary clinics make when it comes to technology. There are many more. Contact us, and we'll tell you how you can avoid them all.
