There’s been a lot of interest in my previous post about Managed IT Services versus Break and Fix IT services. In fact, you should read not only my post, but also some of the well done comments on that post as well. A nice discussion has taken place that people looking at IT support for their EMR or even their clinic in general should read it.

Beyond the discussion of whether you should go with a managed IT service or just bringing in IT support when something’s broken, I want to expand the discussion a little bit to talk about how a doctor’s office can find a great IT provider. Basically, what factors can a doctor look at when evaluating the various IT providers? What types of things should they be looking for in an IT provider? Is there a base set of “services” that pretty much every IT provider offers and what “other services” might set one provider apart? And for the “base services” how can you know who’s really great at providing the IT support and who’s only mediocre?

I look forward to reading your comments.

Also, I’m thinking that maybe I should create a list of Managed IT Service Providers that specialize in supporting healthcare IT (EMR in particular). Basically, I’m thinking a page similar to my EMR and EHR vendors page. Although, I’ve been considering a small redesign of that page as well. Possibly selling premium position on that page (and eventually the IT services page). Something cheap like $50/year for a premium posting. Just a thought. Let me know if you think it’s a good idea or not.