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For a Niche Medical Practice, IT Managed Services Partnership Matters

Eye Surgeons of Indiana: IT Managed Services

Setting the Stage

Operating in a highly specialized medical field and caring for more than 150 patients per day in their main office alone, Eye Surgeons of Indiana (ESI) had increasingly intense technology needs even before government regulations necessitated a shift to electronic medical record-keeping. When that change occurred, ESI recognized that it needed more IT expertise than it had on staff and enlisted an IT managed services partner who quickly fell short in keeping up with rapid industry change.

After re-evaluating its IT wish list and prioritizing expectations for a provider who truly supported the organization’s values and progress, ESI chose KSM Consulting in April 2012.

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The Situation
Addressing Constant Technical Change
Rapid Growth and Big Moves
The KSM Consulting Approach
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The Situation

 

A highly tech-dependent specialty in which innovation happens fast, ophthalmology demands nimble, creative expertise for keeping up with changes in equipment, regulations, and patient care. On top of being in a demanding field, ESI had well-defined values that prized relationships and patient care. Compromising either wasn’t an option—from a technical standpoint or an interpersonal one.

“We really wanted to build a relationship,” said ESI’s Chief Executive Officer Tina Allen. “I was nervous moving away from having someone in-house. I didn’t want to be nickel and dimed. KSMC brought a team of professionals with different types of experience that I couldn’t get in-house. I had an entire team I could rely on and an all-in price whether we call once a month or 100 times a month.”

Those benefits—and the organization’s urgent need for technical expertise— convinced Allen to take the leap.

“One of the most important things about KSMC is that they’re proactive. They’re actively managing our IT issues rather than waiting till there’s a problem.”

– Tina Allen, CEO, Eye Surgeons of Indiana

Addressing Constant Technical Change

 

Drawing from broad expertise and a partnership that prioritized the people element of technology showed value for ESI immediately.

“There’s never a month where we can just skate along,” Allen said. “It’s ever-changing—there’s always something new to install or implement—and KSMC makes each change seamless for us. They’re working with our vendors to accomplish each change so we can see patients.”

Allen found that her KSMC team worked to maximize her in-house resources by carefully addressing budgeting concerns and her own staff technology skills. Because Allen felt such trepidation about the limitations of outsourcing IT, she asked for a KSMC team member to be on-site two days a week. As her comfort level grew, that became one day a week and currently happens only when needed.

“They always, always, always under promise and overdeliver,” she said. “They’ve earned my full trust.”

Rapid Growth and Big Moves

 

As ESI’s technology needs grew, as the practice added doctors and employees and expanded its offices, the organization leaned on its technology partner to make each change happen effortlessly.

“This is a long-term commitment,” Allen said. “KSMC has been with us through the entire process. They know us and our systems well, and they’re extremely reliable. Like us, they’re always thinking about patient experience and how to improve it.”

When ESI relocated its main office, planning the move without hindering patient care was daunting. The main office was growing from twelve exam lanes in its existing facility to twenty in its new building, which meant eight new computers, and from one special testing room to four. Maintaining regulatory compliance meant extra attention to detail.

“I told KSMC we wanted to close the old office Thursday and re-open in our new building Monday,” Allen said. “It was a big ask, but they said, ‘We can make that happen.’ And I’m telling you it was seamless. We walked in Monday and everything ran as if we were in our old office. No—better.”

The practice has since undergone two more successful moves on the same schedule.

The KSM Consulting Approach

 

Allen stresses that the relationship between ESI and KSMC is where the true value lies. She appreciates being able to rely on an engaged partner who has a complete grasp of the business and shares its values.

Because her KSMC team understands the bigger picture of their technical contributions, they’re working to head off issues before they become problems, support the organization’s growth and mission, and not just keep its technology functioning smoothly but recommend improvements that improve processes.

That may mean network updates, security patches, or just a change in how invoices are handled.

“When we do these big projects,” Allen said, “a lot of big bills come by my desk, and I don’t speak IT lingo. Chris at KSMC said, ‘How about if all those invoices come to me first, and then I’ll shoot you an email letting you know how each one fits.’ There’ve been times already that he has saved me by pointing out services we don’t need anymore.”

Allen appreciates the diligence of the team and the fact that she gets a quick response whenever she has a question—or some new challenge.

“I’d say we’re probably the happiest client they have,” Allen said, “but I can’t imagine that’s true if this is how they treat every client.”

“I cannot stress this enough: The main reason we’ve been partners all this time is because of our relationship. I can get an IT service in here tomorrow if I need to, but I can’t get someone else who truly cares about us as a client.”

– Tina Allen, CEO, Eye Surgeons of Indiana

About Eye Surgeons of Indiana

Eye Surgeons of Indiana provides the latest diagnostic and therapeutic technologies to improve patients’ vision. Their board-certified ophthalmologists have performed more than 100,000 procedures over 26 years in operation and now serve patients out of four Indiana locations.