CHC – Network Security Case Study
A rapidly expanding Community Health Center (CHC) realized it needed a new, state-of-the-art clinical management system. CHC had ample reason to take action: the health center wanted to implement an electronic health record system to enhance patient care and improve operation efficiency, a new practice management system to improve billing and collections, and strategies to address a myriad of problems with its current technology systems.
The Challenge CHC was provided a quote for a new network for $600,000 in hardware, but Touchstone Security reviewed the proposal and redesigned the solution to be far more cost-effective without compromising on redundancy and performance, saving the CHC $435,000. Many problems existed with CHC’s IT technology in use at the time Touchstone Security began its engagement. Some of their existing legacy systems, including Medical Master (based on DOS), were about to come off support permanently. Most systems did not integrate well, if at all, with each other, such as the application for instant messaging. Other issues compounded support problems, including older Windows 9x machines on non-standard hardware platforms, non-standard desktop configurations, and lack of control over desktops, making support of the environment a challenge. These problems became apparent over time as systems were put together piecemeal, as needed, utilizing various system types, network hubs, lower-end firewalls, and basically any applications that the business units thought were appropriate. A single over-burdened server was being used for all services. Users were sharing files from their desktops, which prevented proper back up by the central system. The connection to the Internet was protected by a low-end, unmanaged, commodity firewall. These are just a few examples of the issues requiring corrective action.
Touchstone Security’s Solution
Touchstone Security proposed an entirely new IT infrastructure including the eCW system utilizing VMware and a SAN (Storage Area Network), a new messaging email system complete with Antivirus, Antispam, and BlackBerry integration, Microsoft Office, Windows Active Directory and File and Printer servers, Dell workstations, HP thin clients, IBM Lenovo laptops and tablets, HP printers and scanners, and a new redundant Cisco LAN/WAN and wireless network, all in a secure, compliant, and integrated configuration. On a highly aggressive schedule, Touchstone Security’s team collaborated with CHC to architect, design, and implement a completely fault-tolerant LAN/WAN and computing environment and computing environment to plan, coordinate, oversee (Servers, Desktops, Applications, etc.) Touchstone also provided timely client-focused 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. help desk support plus emergency weekend support for all IT issues. Touchstone was able to maximize the efficiency and uptime of all systems and implement a highly available IT infrastructure for the CHC.