CASE STUDY: IT Assessment for a Large Behavioral Health Organization

March 8, 2022

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Client’s Challenge

Provide a comprehensive Information Technology (IT) Assessment for a large behavioral health organization with over 40 facilities across Arizona. Include in the assessment an examination of the following: 

• Current IT Staffing Model & Recommendations 
• IT Support and Daily Operations Review 
• Overview of Hardware and Software 
• IT Purchasing Process, Controls & Accountability 

 

Our Solution

Interviews were conducted with executive leadership and all IT staff members. The emphasis of these interviews was highly focused on the effectiveness of the IT department, areas needing immediate improvement, staff responsibilities and feedback on how effective the team operates internal to the department and with meeting external user needs.

Recommendations were also provided for hiring either a Chief Information Officer versus a Director of IT and determining an effective organizational structure for the department. A current staff assessment was completed to provide feedback on IT staff members, their job responsibilities compared to their job descriptions, and an overall salary review for each member of the department.

IT support and operations were assessed from an internal perspective by interviewing staff, reviewing policies and procedures, and by examining daily operations and routines. John Lynch & Associates also examined IT from an external perspective to gain the perception of the users in other departments and remote locations.

Leveraging feedback from IT staff interviews an assessment was performed to determine a recommended departmental structure. The organizational chart proposed ensured that proper roles and total number of positions were identified to best meet the needs of the IT department and user support, while ensuring the proper leadership for the size and complexity of the organization were in place. A CIO position was proposed to ensure IT was well represented within the organization. Additionally, strategic planning would appropriately occur at the executive level to ensure IT has a voice in aligning IT with clinical and business goals. Additional IT leadership positions were also proposed.

As a core portion of the IT Assessment a general inspection of hardware and software was completed. Hardware and software inventories were requested from staff and equipment located at remotes sites and data centers were examined. As observed and analyzed much of hardware was aging, software upgrades were behind, and overall system patching was not current. Of most concern is that security risks increased with an aging and non-maintained infrastructure. Firewalls were obsolete and would no longer be supported by the manufacturer. Additionally, systems and applications were more difficult to support especially when newer versions of software were introduced into legacy hardware.

A complete assessment of the IT purchasing process and controls was completed. Recommendations were provided to improve controls and accountability while streamlining the overall purchasing process.

 

For more information regarding this case study or if you would like to discuss how we can assist you with your IT project or are looking for a managed IT service provider, please contact us at 623.980.8018 or by email inquiries@johnlynchandassociates.com