Business Continuity: A life-saving IT strategy

Having immediate access to a patient’s medical records isn’t a luxury; it’s a necessity that can mean life or death for the patient. With the move to Electronic Health Records (EHR), it’s important for healthcare organizations to have a plan that ensures patient data is safe on the network. A business continuity plan – network solutions that allow an organization to continue network operations in times of distress – can accomplish this. Whether you’re a big healthcare system or a small independent practice, a business continuity plan is critically important to both patient care and legal compliance.

Government regulations, like the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act's (HIPAA) EHR requirements, make it necessary for healthcare institutions to store patient data on their networks. Failure to comply with these regulations can result in hefty fines. However, many smaller practices lack dedicated IT staff or funding to support the necessary network. And, even with regulations in place forcing the move to digital records, some simply choose not to comply, which puts the security of their patients' information at risk.

There's no such thing as an "all-in-one" solution when it comes to business continuity. From data storage, backup and recovery, to colocation, cloud computing, and network security; the needs change depending upon available resources and the current state of your network.

PAETEC works with customers to implement a customized business continuity plan. With a free network assessment, PAETEC provides recommendations regarding the changes customers need to make. Additionally, PAETEC's unique Equipment for Services (EFS) and Software for Services (SFS) programs allow healthcare organizations to subsidize the equipment/software necessary to build effective business continuity plans. By using these programs, customers can receive reimbursements and upfront capital from the federal government.

To learn more about PAETEC's Business Continuity Solutions, visit www.paetec.com/campaign/continuity to download our informational brochure.