By Bill Lewkowski, Vice President of Strategic Client Services, HCTec
LinkedIn: William Lewkowski
LinkedIn: HCTec
Remote or hybrid work is the norm in nearly every industry and wherever possible. Today’s employees seek remote or hybrid positions to gain flexibility in their lives and careers. While various studies demonstrate that hybrid work is more prevalent than fully remote positions, the rise of remote opportunities has become a catalyst for IT jobs nationwide.
According to a 2022 article published by the U.S. Bureau of Labor and Statistics, “The increase in remote and hybrid work arrangements, expanded use of telehealth services, and further growth of e-commerce—trends that were accelerated by COVID-19 and are expected to continue post pandemic—will increase the need for enhanced cybersecurity measures and generate additional demand for computer occupations.”
However, there is one technology function that achieves better outcomes when teams remain onsite at hospitals, health systems, or their managed service partner operations center—the IT service desk. This article explores three reasons why hospital CIOs should keep health IT support desks onsite. Whether the onsite IT service desk is provided by a managed service provider or your internal team, having IT support teams working side by side is the ideal solution.
Why health IT support desks run better on premises
As a former hospital CIO, I see three reasons why maintaining health IT service desks onsite is not just beneficial, but essential for hospitals and health systems. Likewise, HCTec’s experience as a managed service provider has demonstrated the benefits of IT support teams working onsite together.
- Managerial oversight is most effective when support desks are onsite.
- Crises are more quickly addressed, and staffing is adjusted when teams are together.
- Tighter security, high redundancy, and a more stable technology environment are most advantageous when teams are located in operational centers.
Management oversight is easier when support teams are close by and onsite. Having physical eyes on service desk staff gives us the ability to closely monitor every situation, and rapidly address critical issues such as system disruptions, outages, and downtime.
As every CIO knows, service desks face a deluge of calls when users encounter system access issues. During these high-stress periods, the immediate availability of the entire IT support team is crucial. Every minute counts and the onsite operational team ensures our ability to address and resolve issues promptly, minimizing the impact on care delivery.
Whether the disruption is planned system maintenance or an unexpected outage, close proximity of IT service desk staff sustains rapid, coordinated response. CIOs and their managed services partners can swiftly mobilize resources and make real-time staffing adjustments.
By putting “all hands on deck” and redirecting IT personnel to areas where they are needed most, CIOs and their managed services partners mitigate workflow disruption for end users and patients. Communications, especially during a crisis, are also better coordinated when teams are together in one location. Communication lines remain open, and risk of sharing incorrect updates and messages is reduced.
According to Diane Snyder, Vice President of Human Resources, HCTec, “Service desk employees are more engaged and connected when they work side by side.” Snyder adds that conducting education, training, and mentoring is also easier across onsite, versus virtual, teams.
Finally, having onsite IT service desks ensures staff can directly interact with the organization’s entire technology stack without the limitations of remote locations. Even in the best situations, personal home Wi-Fi connections can be unreliable, introducing delays that are unacceptable in a healthcare environment.
Not optimal for all
Healthcare IT teams encompass a wide variety of positions, titles, and pay grades. Juggling all three types of employment settings—onsite, remote, and hybrid—isn’t easy. The broad spectrum of health IT teams within a highly regulated industry such as healthcare adds new management challenges. However, while many health IT professionals are productive in a remote setting, the service desk team performs best when they are located onsite at your hospital, health system or managed services partner operational centers.
Faster response times, better communication, and more effective crisis management are three reasons to keep IT service desks onsite in healthcare. I believe an onsite-first approach to service desks helps CIOs and their managed services partners support the organization’s mission to ensure uninterrupted, always-on patient care.