We are living in the golden age of outsourcing.
Today, businesses around the world recognize the value of focusing on the "core" of their company. In other words, they are trimming the fat of their company so that they can put more time and resources into the bread and butter of their business (i.e., how they make money).
For example, a hospital may outsource their payroll because they want to limit their operational expenses. Outsourcing payroll is also important for health care providers because it allows their operations employees to focus on improving the functions more closely related to how the hospital or clinic succeeds. (such as identifying improvements for helping more patients to be seen during the day and cutting out operational bottlenecks)
Another area that health care organizations are beginning to consider more in terms of outsourcing is their IT.
But, not just any type of IT outsourcing. Instead, more and more organizations are considering managed service providers (MSP) for their IT needs.
In this post, we break down what MSPs are, when you should team up with one, and how to break your current IT contract, if you have one.
What Are Managed Service Providers?
The best way to think of MSPs is to compare them to a more traditional IT outsourcing partner.
With the more traditional IT partner, they will have a more reactive approach. Meaning, if you're experiencing IT problems, they'll swoop in and try and resolve the issue.
With an MSP, not only will they come in and save the day if your IT goes awry, but they also implement a proactive approach — meaning they'll try and prevent problems from happening in the first place. This perk will involve monitoring your IT systems as well as patch management services. Basically, they will work continuously to ensure that your IT is safe from malfunctions and hackers.
Typically MSPs will work for a fixed fee as they provide an ongoing service while other IT service providers will request payments for whenever they have to come in and resolve and issue.
When is it Time to Get an MSP Partner?
There are a few instances where turning to an MSP would be the right call for your business.
First, if your company or organization is largely IT-dependent, then having an MSP to help you manage your IT is essential. For example, manufacturing companies are very reliant on their IT — especially when it comes to the automation elements of their business. If their IT is on the fritz, it could drastically delay production.
Another reason for having an MSP partner is if your industry is under some strict guidelines when it comes to your IT practices.
Earlier, we mentioned how hospitals and other healthcare companies would be the right candidate for MSPs, and that's because they fall under both of these categories.
Organizations operating within the healthcare sector are IT-dependent, as they need to keep track of a lot of patient data. In addition to this, these organizations also must adhere to HIPAA, meaning that keeping their IT systems safe and secure is a top priority for them. Otherwise, hefty fines may come their way.
MSPs also make sense if you're having trouble putting together a strong IT department of your own.
And, as we previously talked about, MSPs are great for businesses who want to focus on the core functions of their business and don't have time to manage their IT systems thoroughly.
How to To Break Your Current IT Contract
If you're looking to partner with an MSP, then the next step is clear. Get out of your current contract with whoever is providing your current IT support.
But, before you look into trying to break your current IT contract, first see how many months or years you have left on the contract. If it's a small enough amount of time where you can wait it out, then it's a good decision to stick it out for the remainder of the contract.
If there is too much time left on the agreement, then you have a few different options:
If there is a termination clause, use it - Many contracts include a termination clause. So, before looking for another way out of the agreement, see if there is a termination clause somewhere. That way, you can easily get out of the contract without much effort.
Negotiate a termination - There is always the possibility that the other party will be willing to negotiate a termination of sorts. It may require a buyout of sorts on your part, but if you have a good working relationship with your current IT provider, this is a solution that may work.
Identify a breach of contract - As a last resort, you can look for a breach of contract. For example, let's say you had an IT issue come up. Within the agreement, there was a clause that said your IT partner would resolve an issue within 24 hours. However, this time, it took them more a couple of days to get to it. That may be grounds for a breach of contract. If there hasn't been a breach of contract, don't try and make one up or argue otherwise. Otherwise, you may be heading for a legal battle that you won't win.
Contact Medicus IT to Partner With a Healthcare-Specialized MSP Today!
Here at Medicus IT, we have a passion for working with healthcare organizations to provide them with quality, professional IT services. We understand the importance of making sure that your IT systems are running correctly, as well as being safe and secure.
Read more about how we can be of service to you here.
To get in touch with us, fill out this brief form, and we'll get back to you as soon as we can — and make sure to sign up for a free assessment too!
We look forward to hearing from you and how we can help bring your organization to new heights.
