How to Know When You Need Healthcare IT Consulting Services

It’s been said that in the modern world of business every company essentially is a technology company, and that’s certainly true of healthcare organizations. From countless connected devices to electronic health records (EHRs) and, more recently, generative AI and large language models (LLMs), technology permeates today’s healthcare environment. 

IT can help organizations improve patient care, streamline operations, and ensure compliance with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), and other regulations. However, keeping pace with rapid technology innovations is no easy matter. That’s where healthcare IT consulting services come in.

What Healthcare IT Consultants Do

Companies like Elxo are third-party advisers, guides, and experts that can help healthcare firms navigate an increasingly complex IT world. Their breadth of knowledge covers not only technological expertise that a healthcare organization might not have itself, but also a keen understanding of challenges unique to the healthcare sector.  

They provide technical troubleshooting, but also act as strategic partners. They help align technology with the goals of the organization, from optimizing workflows to complying with regulations. 

All of this is particularly important in a healthcare industry still trying to right itself after the COVID-19 pandemic, with hurdles like worker shortages and inflation making 2022 the most difficult financial year for healthcare facilities since the pandemic started in 2020. 

Given what healthcare IT consultants do, it’s not surprising that the global healthcare IT consulting services market will grow from $21.9 billion in 2021 to $103.6 billion in 2031. The demand is there. 

Healthcare IT consulting companies are paid to help organizations navigate the rapids that comprise ever-evolving technologies, regulations, outside cyberthreats, and related challenges that can hinder the delivery of effective patient care and the streamlining of efficient internal operations.  

They bring unbiased opinions concerning the pros and cons of advanced technologies; help with changes, upgrades, and integrations; and fill in the gaps created by a lack of in-house expertise and resources. 

Warning Signs That You Need Healthcare Technology Consulting

So how are you supposed to know when you should consider bringing in an outside partner? Here are a few signs to look for. 

You have inefficient IT systems that can hurt patient care and staff productivity.

The pandemic forced healthcare organizations to confront inefficiencies that led to high costs, hospital staff burnout, and patient care frustrations. Facilities accelerated the adoption of advanced technologies like cloud applications, telehealth, and enhanced EHR operations. Healthcare IT consulting services can help organizations find and deploy the right technologies, automate tasks, migrate workloads to the cloud, and connect hospitals so they can reach out to remote patients and workers. 

Staff lack expertise with emerging technologies like AI and telehealth.

AI models can be used for everything from medical triage to treatment recommendations to automation of administrative tasks and patient engagement strategies. Bain and Co. found that 75 percent of healthcare executives say generative AI will be key to their operations but only 6 percent have a strategy in place. One reason for the reluctance to prepare is the lack of in-house resources, which can also plague IT teams looking to expand telehealth capabilities. Healthcare IT consultants can provide those resources and skills, find the right technologies, and integrate them into the IT environment. 

There are strategic and technological misalignments in organizational plans.

Healthcare organizations need to make sure their strategic goals mesh with their technology roadmap. Technology is the engine that makes many of these goals possible. If the two aren’t in sync, inefficiencies can arise. Healthcare IT consulting companies can get an understanding of a company’s overall strategy and build a technology plan that dovetails with it. 

You don't have the tools to face data breaches and other security concerns.

Healthcare facilities, with their massive amounts of sensitive patient data, broad use of connected devices, and reputation for weak security, have become popular targets of ransomware groups and other cyberthreats. The U.S. Health and Human Services Department in early 2023 put out two advisories about the threats posed by ransomware groups Royal, BlackCat, and Cl0p to healthcare facilities. Healthcare IT consulting services will put in place the necessary security tools and training to protect against ransomware, phishing, and other attacks, and fill knowledge gaps amid the ongoing skills shortage in cybersecurity. 

It's proven too difficult to keep up with regulatory compliance requirements.

Because healthcare facilities hold a vast amount of sensitive information, from patient data to employee details, they consequently are heavily regulated. The industry answers to an array of regulations to protect privacy and safety, from HIPAA and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) to even GDPR (in Europe). It’s a complex environment and continuously evolving. Healthcare IT consulting companies are well-versed in these myriad regulations and can ensure that a facility’s IT infrastructure remains compliant.  

Implementing Epic requires more resources than you currently have.

Epic Systems states that over 305 million patients have a current electronic record in their system. The software promises to improve workflows, enhance patient care, and save money, but putting it in place comes with challenges, including training, staffing, and system integration. Healthcare IT consultants are trained to address all such challenges to ensure the critical technology is properly implemented and managed. 

These are only a few of the areas where consultants can make a difference; others include migrating to new IT systems, moving to the cloud, managing data, selecting vendors, and ensuring a seamless digital experience for patients. Healthcare IT consulting services bring the expertise and manpower to address all of them. 

Picking the Right Healthcare IT Consultant Is Critical

The healthcare industry faces an IT environment that is highly complex, highly regulated, and increasingly distributed. Emerging technologies like telemedicine and AI are changing how healthcare is developed, managed, and delivered, national and state governments are rolling out more regulations to protect the privacy and safety of patients and employees, and new systems and infrastructure are needed to keep up.  

For hospital systems that already are struggling with revenue streams and worker shortages, healthcare technology consulting can lift some of the burden off leaders and simplify technology usage. 

Elxo can put in place the technologies that will help administrators transform their operations, keep projects on track, install the right methodologies, and open up opportunities that otherwise might be hard to see amid the IT complexity. To learn more, contact us today.