by Paul Reckas
You may have noticed that as your computers get “older” they seem to be getting slower and slower. Your EMR, as well as other programs used to run your clinic’s operation may also be sluggish and slow to respond. This leads to a common misconception that the slowing down is a natural result of the ageing computers which affects its performance just like ageing affects humans!
Inevitably there comes a point where you ask yourself: “is it time to change my hardware?”
The answer we have for you may not be what you ate expecting: it depends! Network and computer performance can be hindered by a number of factors including but not necessarily aging. A normal rule of thumb is that if your hardware is older than three to four years a renewal of equipment may be in order. Sluggish performance however may not be a result of old equipment.
As we use our computers daily we perform a number of actions including adding and deleting files, uploading, installing, or removing software, surfing the internet and more. As a result there are numerous programs and services added on our computers which impact start up performance, software performance, and loading speeds. Another problem often found to affect computer performance is malware. Malware is a general term used to describe hostile or intrusive software that can seriously impact the performance of your computers.
So in the cases described above, a scheduled maintenance and cleanup could give your computers some extra life. Now, if your computers are older than 4 years it just may be time for an upgrade.
In conclusion, some of the factors causing old computers to impact the performance of your EMR solution and network can be attributed to:
Older computers may start developing costly technical problems, driving up the cost of maintaining them but costing you as well in lost productivity.
Older computers are susceptible to computer viruses and malware as they rely on dated security features. This puts your confidentiality at risk.
Updates on your EMR software over time may require more memory and faster processing power from your computers thus making it hard for you to take full advantage of your EMR’s capabilities.
If you are at a cross-point and do not know whether you should update your network or just need a good “cleanup” of your systems, give BlueBird a call. We will assess your current setup and guide you to a solution that makes most sense for your needs.
To schedule an appointment call us at 416.931.2121 or send us an email at info@bluebirdinc.com