ChannelTrends: New Prescriptions for Building a Healthcare IT Practice

With so many negative business trends in the news these days, one of the rare exceptions seems to be the continuing opportunities in healthcare IT, particularly with the push to adopt electronic medical records (EMR). A significant number of hospitals, clinics and physicians’ offices are making the transition to the new technologies, leading to refresh and system upgrade opportunities for solution providers.

While many are focused on the healthcare IT business model’s revenue potential, the channel opportunity goes beyond dollars and cents: VARs and MSPs can help make a difference in people’s quality of life. According to a report released this week by United Health Center for Health Reform & Modernization, “19.5 percent of rural residents report being in only ‘fair’ or ‘poor’ health compared with 15.6 percent of urban residents.” Though the issues surrounding this discrepancy are multi-faceted, technology could help address a number of the causes, and solution providers could be instrumental in its implementation.

Could Telepresence Be a Cure?
With the growing number of questions pertaining to the rising cost of healthcare, another aspect of the discussion gets overlooked: How to get quality care to those in rural and underserved communities.

The United Health survey of rural primary care physicians revealed that approximately 50 percent of their patients travel more than 20 miles for specialty care (with an average of about 60 miles), compared with only 6 percent of urban patients who do so. That may play a part in 49 percent of rural consumers rating the quality of local care as “very good” or “excellent”, while 64 percent of their metropolitan counterparts do.

Recent legislation could increase this discrepancy significantly if new solutions aren’t implemented. By 2019, Medicaid and state insurance plans project they will see an increase of around eight million more rural residents than they would have without the federal government plan. That will place even more demand on a declining base of rural physicians and lead to a higher difference in patient care.

Chronic health conditions require constant patient assessment and monitoring, and healthcare IT solution providers offer a number of tools to make that much easier for the rural population. In addition to EMR technology, telemedicine also can help address those needs. This includes the electronic exchange of medical information and transmission of digital images and electronic communications, allowing physicians to track and monitor patients closely from remote locations. A specialist can track a rural hospital heart patient’s vital signs and perform video patient consultations from his office in the city using this technology, saving time and money while improving the quality of care. The tools of telemedicine include smart phones, tablets, high-resolution cameras, digital imaging and broadband high-speed Internet access – each of which can be delivered by a qualified IT service provider.

The ability for a doctor in a small remote hospital to consult with the nationally renowned experts is invaluable, especially when the patient can’t be transported. Telemedicine also can be used to maximize the efficiency of certain specialists, allowing them to manage a number of patients across large geographical areas with the support of nurses and physicians’ assistants. That not only reduces the costs of healthcare delivery, but improves the quality of care available to many communities. Telepresence allows healthcare IT professionals to expand their portfolio to include a variety of network and mobile technology support and implementation services. Not only does it present an opportunity to increase your business’ revenue potential, but these solutions can make a significant impact on the quality of healthcare in your community.

CompTIA Introduces a Credential for Healthcare IT Technicians
If you’re looking to build a healthcare IT practice to take advantage of the need for telepresence and EMR solutions, the first step is to make sure your team has the ability to support them. Qualified professionals are needed to ensure these technologies are operating properly and available when doctors, nurses and their office staff needs them. In some cases, a failure in these systems could be a matter of life and death.

In order to help solution providers get this specific training for themselves and their employees, the new CompTIA Healthcare IT Technician credential is now available. This certificate is vendor- and technology-neutral, providing the knowledge needed to support electronic health record (EHR) systems and it addresses the two job roles (implementation support specialists and technical/software support staff) identified as critical to success by the Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT. The CompTIA Healthcare IT Technician certificate exam covers a number of specific technology and business areas, including: regulatory requirements, organizational behavior, IT operations, medical business operations and security.

One Final Piece of News
Are you interested in joining the Apple Consultant Network? The CompTIA Network+ certification is now one of four requirement options for becoming a mobility specialist member. Consultants must be able to prove they have attained at least one of the prerequisites in order to join the network. While Network+ is just one of the four requirements that will qualify a company for this designation, it is also recognized by vendors and consumers as a measure of superior competency. That broad industry support increases the value of the credential for solution providers and can be used in marketing and sales situation to improve overall business success.

To be classified as an Apple Certified Specialist, an individual must prove they hold one of the following certifications: Apple Certified Specialist: Mobility & Security 10.6; Microsoft MCITP Enterprise Administrator on Windows Server 2008 plus the MCTS Microsoft Exchange Server 2010, Configuration; Cisco CCNP Security + CCNP Wireless (both), or the CompTIA Network+.

Brian Sherman is founder of Tech Success Communications, specializing in editorial content and consulting for the IT channel. His previous roles include chief editor at Business Solutions magazine and industry alliances director with Autotask. Contact Brian at Bsherman@techsuccesscommunications.com.