Sidekick - Spring 2013 - (Page 36)

The High Cost of Old Technology JASON WERNER HeNry ScHeiN TecHceNTrAl To assist practices in staying up-to-date, Henry Schein TechCentral offers a range of services, including the TechCentral Support Plan. Lakewood Ranch Dental is growing. When Dr. Michael Kanter added digital imaging equipment to the practice’s existing infrastructure to increase office efficiency, office manager Kelley McLane knew it was time to get expert computer network assistance. She called Henry Schein TechCentral Support. What she didn’t know at the time was how much the old hardware was costing the practice in energy and time—and how it was putting patient data at risk. Drowning in Data As consumers, we place high value on the latest digital devices. But while many practice owners are willing to spend money on personal gadgets, they often forget to invest in the equipment they rely on to keep their businesses productive. To assist practices in staying up-to-date, Henry Schein TechCentral offers a range of services, including the TechCentral Support Plan. This yearlong plan provides support for PCs and networking, and includes constant server monitoring. When TechCentral Support set up server monitoring for Lakewood Ranch Dental, they noticed the practice’s server was dangerously low on storage space. The lack of storage space greatly increased the likelihood of the system crashing and the loss of data. The TechCentral Support team quickly optimized the fragmented drive to stabilize the situation and helped McLane work with a Henry Schein Digital Technology Specialist (DTS) to remedy the problem. The Henry Schein team upgraded Lakewood’s server, which helped the practice avoid costly potential problems like lost patient data and billing records as well as major disruption to the office’s operational processes. Low-Cost Preparation Versus High-Cost Crisis A recent white paper from IDC, a leading computer industry analyst group, analyzed the costs of keeping old computer hardware. The paper explains that, in the long term, it costs more than purchasing new equipment. The paper cites three key factors why IT hardware should be replaced: maintenance costs, energy efficiency, and aging software. 36 Sidekick | Spring 2013 Computers provide a solid foundation to modern, digital dental practices. Shortly after installing the new server at Lakewood Ranch Dental, TechCentral’s remote monitoring tools alerted the support team to a failed system test. The TechCentral team remotely logged onto Lakewood’s server to investigate the error. They discovered thousands of attempts to access the server over the Internet—someone was trying to hack the server. The investigation and a discussion with McLane discovered the issue resulted from something the previous IT company had installed, but was no longer in use. Lakewood Ranch Dental was at risk from hackers and malicious software that’s designed to take over a network and access its data, including patient records. While the system was not compromised, it may have been eventually if Henry Schein TechCentral had not intervened and corrected the security vulnerability. After the incident, McLane said, “It’s incredible— as we learn more, we discover how much we don’t know. It’s important to have people you can rely on and trust.” For more information about how a TechCentral Support Plan can provide your practice with trusted expert IT assistance, call Henry Schein TechCentral at 877-483-0382 or visit www.HenryScheinTechCentral.com. http://www.HenryScheinTechCentral.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Sidekick - Spring 2013

Sidekick - Spring 2013
Table of Contents
Boulder Dental Designs
Featured Designs
Are You Happy with the Quality and Quantity of Your Patient Base?
Digital X-ray— Everything I Didn’t Know I Wanted
Creating Great First Impressions with Office Design
The High Cost of Old Technology
When I See You Smile
Making the Switch to E4D for a Better Fit
Buzz Nabers Dental Studio 304
Understanding Credit Card Processing Rates
A Growing Family—Two Winning Announcements from i-CAT
Kalman Oral Surgery & Implant Center
A New Model for an Old Practice
TechCentral
Henry Schein Service
Henry Schein Financial Services
Privileges
Professional Practice Transitions
ProRepair

Sidekick - Spring 2013