A full-featured practice management software is essential for any dental office — but it’s only as good as the hardware it runs on. When you use outdated hardware in your practice, it can cause crashes and delays that bring headaches and can hurt your business.
Hardware or Software Problem?
Computer problems can be hard to diagnose — most often we attribute issues with the software and overlook the hardware, but there are some common signs of hardware failure you should look for such as the computer won’t boot properly or computer performance and speed are running slower than usual. Although most practice management software doesn’t require a lot of memory to run, when you have multiple applications running, your old hardware may not handle the load, making the software frustratingly slow. Along with the headaches old computers can cause, they may also be keeping you from profiting from helpful new features in the latest release.
The Importance of Current Software
When you bought that computer, its operating system (OS) was working great, but over time it’s been slowed down by every new program and patch. This is why many organizations replace their computers every three years. One of the best ways to keep everything running smoothly is a regular fresh start. If your old OS or applications aren’t supported anymore, you can’t properly protect yourself against new cyber threats. Outdated data security could lead to a breach, which could compromise your patients’ security and even lead to large fines and lost revenue. Those consequences aren’t worth trying to squeeze a few more dollars from an old system.
Don’t Be At Risk With Your Hardware
Slowdowns are frustrating and costly in wasted time, but old hard drives can also fail altogether. One day you go to turn the computer or server on, and it won’t work. When a hard drive fails, it can result in devastating data loss, not to mention lost revenue. If you don’t have a comprehensive backup strategy, you increase your risk of losing vital data, including patient records, financial information and inventory files. If your servers and workstations are from 2015 or older, you may experience slowness. If that’s the case, it’s our opinion that it’s time to contact TechCentral for a free technology assessment and update your hardware to decrease the likelihood of slowdowns and crashes.
Partner With an IT Expert
Your expertise lies in running a well-oiled practice and providing the best care to your patients. You shouldn’t have to be an IT tech too. TechCentral provides IT solutions specifically for dentists, with every product and service optimized for you. When you partner with TechCentral, you can think about your patients instead of your computer problems. TechCentral brings together products from industry leaders like WatchGuard, HP and others and because of their experience no other IT company understands the dental market better.
Don’t let outdated hardware destroy everything you’ve worked so hard to build. Request a free network assessment at www.HSTechCentral.com/SidekickAssessment or call 844.588.6590 today.
This article was originally published in Sidekick Magazine.
About the Author: Donovan Gregg is a technology enthusiast that has worked in the IT industry for over 15 years, 9 of which have been with Henry Schein TechCentral. He has an unquenchable thirst for knowledge in all things related to technology from quantum computing to circuit engineering and flying FPV drones. Donovan has been an integral part in managing valuable relationships with various large software and hardware companies to vet out the most ideal IT solutions for the unique needs of the dental market.