Birth Center IT Problems: Slow Internet?
Slow internet speeds can be a problem for medical practices of any size, including freestanding birth centers. A bad internet connection throughout your office means your processes are stalled, your entire day is slowed down, your midwives are hindered, and you may even have crankier clients who can’t scroll their social media in the lobby – oh no! Whatever the reason or the cause, slow internet at your birth center or midwifery practice needs to be addressed. That’s why it’s first up on our list of birth center IT problems!
Dealing with a consistently slow internet connection requires some detective work to assess the reasons for the issue and may require some good old fashioned troubleshooting to fix on up. First comes analyzing your systems and symptoms.
Start with your Internet Service Provider (ISP) plan
Depending on the size of your practice, you may need to upgrade to a plan that offers higher download and upload speeds than you think. Different service providers in your area are going to have different options, and many of them should have business plans and discounts to get you the service speeds that you need direct from the provider. Once you’ve established that your speed plan should be sufficient with your ISP, move on to…
Address your hardware
Not all modems and routers are built equal. You may be struggling with slow internet speeds at your birth center because of the hardware that connects you to the internet. Consider upgrading your modem and having multiple routers to spread out the responsibility of each device that is transmitting your WiFi signal. Now is also a great time to remember the power of good ol’ Ethernet! Your computers and printers that are stationary can and should be plugged into Ethernet to reduce the demand on your routers (and increase your security).
Additionally, you may need to look at upgrading or updating your devices themselves. Older computers or smartphones can have serious connection speed issues.
Assess your software
Now it’s time to consider your software. Older operating systems on computers and smartphones can also make a big difference in your internet speeds.
And beyond the device operating systems themselves, consider the various cloud-based systems and websites you’re using. Perhaps your EMR has slow connectivity problems. Or maybe your telehealth app just can’t cut it.
Detect with a Speedtest
The best way to root out your internet speed issues is to test, test, and test again! Use a site like speedtest.net to detect your speeds from various access points. Depending on the test results you get, you will be able to hone in on what your issue is. For instance, if you’re getting great speeds from your Ethernet connection but slow speeds on WiFi, you may be honing in on a WiFi router issue. If you get great speeds from one device on WiFi and slow speeds from another on the same WiFi, you may be narrowing down to a hardware or software issue on that device. There’s nothing like good detective work when it comes to birth center IT problems!
Work with a professional
And of course, if you want the best support out there for your birth center IT problems, you know exactly where to look. Contact MT Safeguard today, and we’ll get you the help you need to keep your practice running smoothly!