Thanksgiving 2019: Technology Gratitude for Small Practices

Thanksgiving 2019. Small medical practices, solo attorneys, and small accounting firms have access to technology that was enterprise-only a decade ago.

Cloud services, sophisticated security tools, powerful software. All available at small-practice budgets.

This democratization of technology deserves gratitude.

Enterprise Features at Small Practice Prices

Email and Collaboration

Office 365 and Google Workspace provide enterprise email, file storage, and collaboration for $5-20 per user monthly.

Ten years ago, equivalent capabilities required expensive on-premise Exchange servers and file servers.

Practice Management Software

Cloud-based practice management for medical, dental, and legal practices available as monthly subscriptions.

No large capital expense. No server maintenance. Professional features accessible to small practices.

Security Tools

Enterprise-grade antivirus, endpoint protection, and security monitoring available at small practice budgets.

Protections that only large organizations could afford are now accessible to everyone.

Capabilities That Didn't Exist

Work From Anywhere

Cloud services and mobile devices enable working from office, home, or while traveling seamlessly.

This flexibility was impossible with on-premise only systems.

Automatic Backups

Cloud backup services providing automated offsite backups for reasonable monthly costs.

Previously required expensive tape systems and manual rotation.

Professional Communication

VoIP phone systems with professional features for fraction of traditional phone system costs.

What Changed

Cloud Economics

Cloud providers achieve scale small practices can't. Spread infrastructure costs across thousands of customers.

Result: enterprise capabilities at small practice prices.

Subscription Models

Monthly subscriptions instead of large capital expenses make powerful software accessible.

Pay as you go. Scale up or down. No huge upfront investment.

Competition

Multiple providers competing for small practice business drove prices down and features up.

Grateful for Specific Tools

Office 365 / Google Workspace

Email that rarely fails. File storage that's accessible everywhere. Collaboration tools that actually work.

Reliable, professional email for small practices that previously struggled with unreliable hosting.

Cloud Backup

Automated cloud backup protecting against hardware failures, ransomware, and disasters.

Peace of mind that data survives catastrophes.

Practice Management Software

Integrated scheduling, billing, patient/client management, documentation.

Capabilities that streamline operations and improve patient/client experiences.

Electronic Payments

Easy credit card processing, online payment options, automated billing.

Improved cash flow and reduced collection hassles.

What Small Practices Still Lack

Dedicated IT Staff

Large organizations have IT departments. Small practices rely on outsourced IT or handle technology themselves.

But managed IT services provide IT department capabilities at affordable prices.

Negotiating Power

Large organizations negotiate volume discounts. Small practices pay standard rates.

But cloud services are affordable enough that this matters less than it did.

Custom Development

Large organizations can afford custom software development. Small practices use commercial solutions.

But commercial solutions now powerful enough that custom development rarely needed.

Challenges That Remain

Keeping Current

Technology changes rapidly. Staying current requires ongoing attention and investment.

Security Complexity

Security threats are sophisticated. Small practices face same threats as large organizations but with fewer resources.

Integration

Multiple cloud services need to work together. Integration can be challenging.

Best Practices for Small Practices

Embrace Cloud

Cloud services provide capabilities small practices can't achieve on-premise.

Invest in Security

Even small budgets should prioritize security. Breaches are expensive.

Use Standard Tools

Mainstream cloud services (Office 365, Google Workspace) are better than trying to run your own email servers.

Get IT Support

Whether in-house or outsourced, professional IT support prevents problems and resolves issues quickly.

Keep Learning

Technology changes. Ongoing education about new capabilities and threats.

Looking Back Ten Years

2009 technology for small practices:

• On-premise Exchange or basic email hosting
• Local file servers
• Desktop software requiring local installation
• Expensive phone systems
• Tape backups rotated manually
• Working remotely was difficult and unreliable

2019 has dramatically better options at lower prices.

Looking Forward

Technology will continue improving:

• More AI capabilities accessible to small practices
• Better security tools at affordable prices
• Improved integration between cloud services
• More sophisticated practice management features

Democratization of technology continues.

This Thanksgiving

Be grateful for:

• Cloud services providing enterprise capabilities at small practice prices
• Security tools protecting against sophisticated threats
• Practice management software streamlining operations
• Collaboration tools enabling flexible work
• Backup services protecting critical data
• Competition keeping prices reasonable
• Innovation bringing new capabilities regularly

Small practices have technology advantages previous generations couldn't imagine.

Practical Gratitude

Show gratitude through maintenance:

• Keep software updated
• Use security tools effectively
• Train staff on technology capabilities
• Invest in technology infrastructure
• Work with good IT support providers

Our Gratitude

At Robell Technologies, we're grateful for:

• Cloud services that we can provide to small practice clients
• Security tools that protect practices regardless of size
• Vendors providing small practice-friendly solutions
• Clients trusting us with their technology infrastructure
• Eight years serving Arizona practices

Technology democratization lets us provide enterprise-quality services to practices of all sizes.

To our clients: thank you for letting us help you leverage modern technology.

To practices considering working with us: we specialize in helping small practices access enterprise capabilities through smart use of cloud services and modern tools.

Happy Thanksgiving 2019. May your technology continue enabling your success.