Quick Summary
Healthcare IT staff augmentation is a strategy which helps healthcare organizations to hire remote developers to expand their in-house team. This strategy is advantageous to address some specific project needs to overcome the skill scarcity and decrease the current workload.
The healthcare industry has evolved from a basic medical clinic devoid of contemporary technology to one that makes use of telemedicine, integrated electronic health records, and AI-driven diagnostics (EHRs). However, the healthcare IT department needs assistance filling its unfilled roles in a cutthroat industry where next-generation technology is dominating.
A staggering 77% of healthcare firms reported having a shortage of IT staff, according to a recent HIMSS research. A hidden concern amidst this technological transformation is a significant lack of qualified IT experts. This is more than simply a little annoyance; it may result in security flaws, postponed deployments, and ultimately lower patient care standards.
A survey found that 47% of participants listed a lack of IT personnel as one of their top three challenges. Not only is the shortage a technological issue, but it's a major impediment to advancement, increasing the risk of data breaches and operational inefficiencies by 40%.
The healthcare IT staff augmentation provides the know-how required to guarantee the smooth implementation and administration of cutting-edge technologies. It also helps close the skills gap in IT and change how healthcare is delivered in the future.
Let us first begin by understanding what IT staff augmentation is in the Healthcare industry.
A temporary team of specialists bridges the skill gaps and provides technical competence in the healthcare sector through an IT staff augmentation strategy. To accomplish the aim, the augmented IT professionals collaborate with the current team for a certain amount of time. To put it another way, it's a calculated method to fill in any long- or short-term IT resource gaps.
Hiring technical specialists for software development, cybersecurity, system updates, network monitoring, and functional integration without employing full-time staff members is known as IT staff augmentation in the healthcare industry. It's a wise approach to handle both immediate tasks and long-term requirements without having to commit to full-time staff hiring.
We’ve added a quick table showing the key considerations to implement IT staff augmentation in healthcare industry.
Consideration | Description | Recommended Action |
Project Scope | Clearly define the scope and requirements of the project to ensure alignment with business goals. | Conduct detailed project planning and documentation. |
Skill Requirements | Identify the specific skills and expertise needed for the project. | Perform a skills gap analysis and create detailed job descriptions. |
Vendor Selection | Choose the right IT staff augmentation provider with relevant experience and expertise. | Research and evaluate potential vendors based on past performance and client feedback. |
Onboarding Process | Ensure a smooth onboarding process for the augmented staff. | Develop a comprehensive onboarding plan and training program. |
Communication Protocols | Establish clear communication channels and protocols for collaboration. | Implement regular meetings, updates, and collaborative tools. |
Performance Metrics | Set clear performance metrics and goals for the augmented staff. | Define key performance indicators (KPIs) and monitor progress regularly. |
Compliance and Security | Ensure that all staff adhere to industry regulations and data security protocols. | Provide training on compliance and implement strict security measures. |
Integration with In-house Team | Foster collaboration and integration between augmented and in-house teams. | Organize team-building activities and joint project sessions. |
Flexibility and Scalability | Plan for potential changes in project scope or staffing needs. | Maintain flexibility in contracts and have a scalability plan in place. |
Feedback and Improvement | Continuously seek feedback and improve processes. | Conduct regular reviews and incorporate feedback for continuous improvement. |
But, the next question is when should you choose an IT Staff augmentation strategy for your healthcare organization?
Let’s get that answered in the forthcoming section.
The below mentioned points will help you decide whether your project meets the healthcare scenarios and meets the organization’s needs.
The first and primary reason to consider using IT staff augmentation for your healthcare organization is when you are in need of minimizing the skill gaps present due to the lack of specialized skills, that’s when using staff augmentation method will allow you to build remote teams in order to help you minimize the skill gaps
For example, your in-house team is in need to hire an individual with specific knowledge for a new project, like executing a telehealth platform, in scenarios like these the staff augmentation method comes into picture and helps you in hiring qualified professionals.
Professionals working in a healthcare industry have a heavier workload and have time to handle only a few specific technical issues. In such scenarios, implementing or using staff augmentation will help you hire additional resources to handle complex tasks without burnouts.
For example, there is an increase in public health emergencies, which can prove to be overwhelming for IT professionals to handle the demand and manage their daily routines.
The healthcare sector has evolved and adapted new technologies and systems to treat patients efficiently. But this requires your team to be more flexible and advanced, that’s when staff augmentation helps you hire remote developers to bridge the knowledge gaps related to technological advancements.
For example, your medical facility introduced a medical imaging analysis system driven by artificial intelligence. But not everyone is adept at using new technology, so you'll need an IT specialist knowledgeable on AI and data security.
With every advancement in technology, handling IT security and HIPAA compliances is becoming challenging. By using staff augmentation you can easily build a remote team of skilled developers who will help you monitor privacy and efforts with a proper industry standard knowledge.
For example, when you adapt new technologies for business advancements you are increasing the chances of risking the data security and compliance threats. Hiring external staff for healthcare will help you detect any potential security risk and maintain a compliance audit.
Majority of businesses consider healthcare IT staff augmentation when searching to hire temporary staff to fill the gaps. Hence it is considered as a short-term project which requires some experts to complete the work using their specialized skills.
For example, in order to run a new healthcare application effectively, a specialist is needed. An IT support team arrives to assist you and make sure everything runs smoothly till the app opens.
Now, moving ahead let us understand what are the benefits of IT staff augmentation from the healthcare industry viewpoint.
But, reaching each patient can be a tough task to pull off. But, you can make it easier by reaching them through your own healthcare app. Want to know how?
Below we’ve mentioned a few advantages of using IT staff augmentation services in the healthcare industry.
Because they are hired for certain tasks only, hiring an IT staff augmentation team or professional for your healthcare industry can be a cost-effective decision. Because he has to pay for HR-related costs like salary, taxes, insurance, training, and more, a full-time employee will cost more.
Paying professionals who supplement your IT personnel according to the time needed and without committing to a long-term agreement will save you money. Additionally, the employees will be competent and aware of how to use resources appropriately, which will lessen the workload for your IT department in terms of system comprehension and workstation setup.
The critical need for knowledge in specialized fields, such as Electronic Health Record (EHR) administration, Health Information Exchange (HIE), telemedicine, and data analytics, is addressed by the availability of specialization in healthcare IT staff augmentation. With their specialized skill sets, augmented professionals improve the healthcare sector with experience and industry-standard expertise.
These knowledgeable professionals offer creative ideas that improve operations and are up to date on technology. Healthcare organizations can improve patient care and operational efficiency by reducing the risks connected with technology and data by incorporating temporary specialists.
Healthcare firms have seasonal fluctuations in demand, patient volume, integration of sophisticated technology, and dynamic system performance that affect the need for IT professionals. You can use forthcoming or declining resources to leverage flexibility and scalability when you hire an IT staff augmentation company.
For example, your company can easily modify its IT operation to meet the demands, whether it's supporting scalability projects or peak periods. Additionally, the strategy guarantees the appropriate knowledge with effective resource distribution, relieving the load of IT risk with regard to employee storage and technological transactions.
It takes more than just skill gaps and unique ability for a project to effectively augment staff. A team's level of burnout can also be reduced by adding qualified members. It can assist in reducing backlogs and optimizing workflow within the current process, freeing you up to concentrate on work and get things done.
Furthermore, hiring temporary IT workers can help you further improve the effectiveness of your operations by offering innovative ideas and creative solutions. It also enables you to take care of urgent projects, prioritize essential duties without becoming bogged down by extra work, and support an efficient workplace.
Sensitive data in the healthcare industry makes data security and compliance essential. You can guarantee strong security protocols and adherence to rules and regulations such as HIPAA by employing IT specialists. The specialists assist with putting required procedures into place, carry out security audits, and keep abreast of emerging risks and compliance requirements.
Additionally, the expanded personnel has expertise in access restrictions, data encryption, and the appropriate handling of sensitive health information. Furthermore, the proactive strategy reduces data breaches and associated legal fines while protecting sensitive data.
One of the main benefits of IT staff augmentation for healthcare is that it enables knowledge transfer where the information is transferred to the existing team. In an industry like healthcare, IT professionals possess their own skill set and understanding, thus hiring them can enhance the expertise.
By transferring their knowledge they can assist you in bringing new ideas which can expand and enhance the overall skills of your existing workflow. As a result your in-house team would be able to learn advanced techniques and the best practices by making your IT team more versatile and capable enough to handle all the complex IT challenges.
But, integration between your remote team and In-house team can be a difficult task to pull-off, but taking due measures and following the best practices can help you tackle the concern.
Any healthcare provider that chooses to supplement their IT workforce does so because their internal team is not up to date on the latest tools and methods. Businesses can close this knowledge gap and ensure a smoother and faster transition to cutting-edge tools and procedures by bringing on additional IT personnel.
The professionals help your current employees become proficient with new procedures and systems by offering them practical training and support. Improving flexibility will result in high-caliber services with the least amount of interruption to existing business operations.
Now, further let us move ahead and understand the challenges of IT staff augmentation in Healthcare industry.
Help with IT staff skills is needed by healthcare providers. Surviving these voids and maintaining smooth operations requires effective staff augmentation. Here's a closer look at the approaches and difficulties associated with staff augmentation in healthcare IT:
Challenges: Employees have to spend a lot of time getting acquainted with the organization's policies, procedures, network, and system usage, which might cause delays.
Solutions: Training on the onboarding process to enable augmented staff comprehend internal teamwork and maintain communication between all parties.
Challenges: Misunderstandings and errors might arise due to language problems, imprecise expectations from management, and technical jargon used by IT specialists.
Solutions: Make use of the channel for communication, be explicit about what has to be done, and promote candid and active listening.
Challenges: Process access restrictions, HIPAA compliance training, and storing security data in accordance with the organization's regulations were necessary for the enlarged workforce.
Solutions: Strict access control installation, data analysis, and security training are supported by internal IT specialists.
Challenges: Aligning augmented workers with company goals will take time and effort as they are employed for short-term assignments only.
Solutions: Assist enhanced staff in comprehending the organization's aims and effectively aligning your objectives by allowing your in-house teams to train and conduct sessions.
Challenges: Time zones might make it tough to collaborate in real-time when working with companies in various time zones.
Solutions: Use technologies for task assignment and updates, and schedule meetings at times when work and play coincide.
Challenges: To begin with, augmentation of IT staff must guarantee high-quality work in compliance with the policies and requirements of the firm.
Solutions include creating precise performance measures and quality control protocols, putting in place a review process, and upholding standards of quality.
Now, let us understand different models of IT Staff augmentation in a healthcare industry.
Worry not, our remote team of developers at Acquaint specializes in Healthcare app development that too at an affordable rate. Want to hire one?
There are various staff augmentation models in healthcare, and each method offers unique advantages and considerations based on the business goals and requirements.
This type of model suits projects which have uncertain goals and short-term goals. In these models, you can modify the scope and requirements, dynamic flexibility and work according to the timeline.
Considerations: This model might be expensive if not managed carefully. It requires active management and oversight to handle the project.
Pricing: It has a cost predictability with a fixed project pricing.
This model includes IT professionals who would work exclusively on an organization’s project. Moreover, this model is useful for long-term project which requires specialized skills and an ongoing development
Considerations: This model needs a steady workflow to ensure the team is operated effectively which would require a higher upfront investment for team setup.
Pricing: It has predictable costs with fixed monthly rates.
A project based model is considered the best option based on particular requirements and timeline. In this type of model, professionals would take full control towards delivering the project with the given scope and timeframe.
Considerations: There is a little scope of flexibility present to make changes once the project is underway, thus chances of misalignment between a clients expectations and provider deliverables are high.
Pricing: It is pre decided with fixed projects.
Now, moving further let us understand how you should choose the right model that fits your requirements?
Do you require a professional for a particular undertaking?
Opt for an augmentation model that is project-based. It will assist you in focusing on the abilities needed to start a project.
Are you in need of continuous assistance to close skill gaps?
Select the model of devoted team augmentation. This methodology will create a skilled, dependable team that works well with your current employees.
Do you require the ability to grow or shrink your crew as needed?
Project-based and dedicated team models with scalability are available for selection; for temporary variations, a project-based approach may be more appropriate.
Still attempting to determine the precise prerequisites?
Consultation with a trustworthy healthcare app development company is a good place to start. They'll help you out and suggest the best augmentation model.
After deciding the right staff augmentation model the next step is to figure out which is the most suitable IT staff augmentation company that can meet your needs.
So, now let us understand how to choose an IT Staff augmentation company that aligns with your requirements.
Choosing an IT Staff augmentation company requires you to follow a 17 step process to make the best choice. In this section we’ll cover each of them. So, get ready and grab your pen now!
Finding the right talent: When considering the use of staff augmentation services, look for the top software development firm that can fulfill your requirements and preferences.
Examine Technical Expertise: The potential partner should have a group of specialists who have undergone extensive screening and have a high success rate in delivering good project outcomes.
Assessing cultural fit: Since culture is a key component of a successful partnership, it is critical to find a partner whose procedures and values mesh with your own.
Assessing communication abilities: Pick a business with strong communication abilities. To ensure that both businesses are in agreement, an external partner needs to be able to connect and communicate effectively.
Verify security and data privacy policies: It's important to confirm the security measures put in place by the external partner when onboarding a staff augmented partner.
Getting in touch with references: Prior to onboarding an IT staff augmentation company, always get input from references. You can also ask clients for comments to find out about their experiences working with the vendor.
Pricing evaluation: When selecting the best IT staff-augmentation partner, pricing is a crucial consideration. Making decisions might be aided by comparing the prices and charges of several businesses. Select the option that best suits your needs and fits your pocket, taking into account the results.
We think you now possess all the necessary knowledge to select the best IT staff augmentation company for software development outsourcing. Implement these steps to find the best IT Staff augmentation companies in India.
Now, let us understand the future role of IT Staff augmentation in Healthcare industry
IT Staff augmentation services will play a very important role in shaping the growth of the healthcare industry. Below are some areas where the staff augmentation method will put its mark.
Blockchain Technology in Healthcare: Integrating blockchain solutions to safeguard medical records, improve data interoperability, and guarantee strong data integrity and patient privacy will require the addition of IT workers.
Natural Language Processing (NLP) in Healthcare: To improve EHR accuracy and gain vital information for improved patient care, enhanced IT teams can implement and manage NLP systems to evaluate research papers and clinical notes.
Integration of Wearable Technology: The enhanced staff can assist with the setup and upkeep of cutting-edge medical wearables, which allow for the proactive management of chronic illnesses and the seamless transmission of data to healthcare practitioners.
Medical Education with Virtual and Augmented Reality: Creating and overseeing VR and AR applications, as well as creating realistic, immersive simulations, will be the responsibility of Augmented IT specialists.
Quantum Computing Potential: The exploration and application of quantum computing in healthcare, as well as the resolution of challenging issues in treatment optimization, genomics, and drug discovery, will depend heavily on the addition of IT workers.
Medical Equipment Predictive Maintenance: Using IoT and AI technologies, enhanced IT teams may lower equipment downtime, improve patient safety by making prompt interventions, and do predictive maintenance.
Integration of Social Determinants of Health (SDOH) Data: By adding IT personnel, healthcare systems will be able to access and use SDOH data, giving a complete picture of patient health.
Robotic Process Automation (RPA) in Administrative duties: By automating monotonous administrative duties, enhanced IT professionals can increase operational efficiency and free up healthcare personnel to concentrate on patient care.
Now let us understand how Acquaint Softtech can help?
Acquaint Softtech is an IT outsourcing company that provides staff augmentation and software development outsourcing services. As an official Laravel partner, we take great satisfaction in building unique apps with the Laravel framework.
The greatest option if your company needs to hire remote developers is Acquaint Softtech. Within 48 hours, developers can join your current team thanks to our expedited onboarding procedure.
We are also the greatest option for any outsourced software development project because of our $15 hourly fee. To satisfy your needs for custom development, we can help you hire MEAN stack developers and hire MERN stack developers, as well as remote developers and outsourced services.
Moving forward let us see how we helped HospitalNote develop an EMR solution for efficient patient care.
Our developers made the best use of their knowledge and creativity to develop a cutting-edge cloud based EMR solution to help clinics in managing their daily routines better. Thus software was specifically designed to help automate real-world tasks, manage patient records and more. Our team went out of our comfort zone to ensure we set up software seamlessly.
Our area of expertise is offering professional solutions to the healthcare sector. Before beginning this project, our committed group of Laravel developers thoroughly investigated every angle.
Enhancement of performance
Although we usually finish projects on schedule, this one was getting harder to finish on time since more performance improvement was required. We overcome this difficulty, though, by working a few extra hours every day to deliver everything on schedule.
Keeping medical records
Keeping health records on file and gaining remote access to them when needed presented a number of challenges. Our group of knowledgeable developers stepped up to address the problems and create a safe cloud computing solution.
Remote patient support
A patient portal enabling online booking and video consultations was also integrated in this electronic medical records solution. This module did not function as planned. Our programmers developed it by using innovative solutions.
For medical professionals to manage their patient records and more, we created a feature-rich site. This also includes a number of additional features that make use of cloud computing technologies.
GDPR Compliance
EMR Portal
Simple & intuitive website
The client congratulated us for the job, expressing satisfaction with its outcome. Without deviating from the predetermined milestones, we were able to deploy the website with all of the requirements met. The client expressed satisfaction with the prompt delivery and the launch's success. A number of clinics who were happy with the switch to a paperless clinic have responded favorably.
Want to know what made this project a success? Then read the full piece of case study on Custom EMR Solution for Better Patient Care
But, couldn't I find a right partner like HospitalNote did? Then, partner with us and let’s build your next healthcare software/ web app to serve more patients.
Healthcare IT staff augmentation offers a strategic solution to address the skill gaps and workload challenges in the healthcare industry. By hiring remote developers, healthcare organizations can leverage specialized expertise to enhance their IT capabilities, ensuring the seamless implementation and management of advanced technologies. This approach not only helps overcome the shortage of qualified IT professionals but also improves overall efficiency, security, and patient care standards.
Healthcare IT staff augmentation involves hiring remote IT professionals to support and expand the in-house team for specific projects or ongoing needs.
It allows healthcare organizations to hire specialists with the specific skills needed for projects, bridging any expertise gaps in the existing team.
Organizations should consider it when facing skill shortages, complex workloads, technological advancements, or short-term project needs.
Benefits include cost-effectiveness, access to specialized skills, flexibility, scalability, improved efficiency, and enhanced data security and compliance.
Acquaint Softtech provides skilled remote developers quickly, offering cost-effective solutions to meet custom development needs, ensuring efficient project integration.
I love to make a difference. Thus, I started Acquaint Softtech with the vision of making developers easily accessible and affordable to all. Me and my beloved team have been fulfilling this vision for over 15 years now and will continue to get even bigger and better.
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