Community Mental Health Hospital IT Overhaul
Case Study Overview
Market: Behavioral Health
Primary Service: IT Leadership
John Lynch & Associates partnered with a not-for-profit Community Mental Health Hospital in Northern Arizona to lead a comprehensive IT infrastructure overhaul. The engagement focused on preparing the organization for a successful Electronic Health Record (EHR) implementation, improving network performance, and designing a robust disaster recovery solution. The hospital serves a wide demographic, providing mental health services to children, adults, and families across inpatient and outpatient settings.
This community mental health hospital IT overhaul demonstrates how structured healthcare IT leadership can stabilize infrastructure, improve reliability, and restore confidence across clinical and administrative teams.
Objectives
- Modernize the hospital’s IT infrastructure to support a new EHR system.
- Assess cloud migration feasibility.
- Resolve network latency and bandwidth challenges.
- Implement a comprehensive disaster recovery plan.
- Strengthen organizational readiness and support for IT transformation.
Challenges
- Outdated hardware incapable of supporting modern systems.
- Limited internal IT staffing for project support and daily operations.
- Cultural resistance to technological change across the organization.
Solutions Implemented
To overcome these challenges, the following solutions were implemented:
Interim CIO Leadership & Strategic Guidance
- Deployed an interim CIO to lead IT transformation efforts and serve as a bridge between executive leadership and technical teams.
- Established regular communication protocols with senior leadership to align goals, secure buy-in, and track progress.
Comprehensive IT Assessment & Strategic Planning
- Conducted a full assessment of infrastructure, staffing, and IT operations.
- Developed a phased infrastructure refresh plan, aligning with organizational goals and operational constraints.
- Created a strategic roadmap for EHR readiness and long-term IT sustainability.
Project Management & Staffing Support
- Provided project management for EHR implementation, supplementing internal capacity with consulting resources.
- Adjusted staffing levels to improve support capabilities and resource availability during critical project phases.
Cost Optimization & Contract Management
- Identified outdated or redundant contracts and negotiated improved terms, generating cost savings and increasing service value.
Hybrid Infrastructure & Network Redesign
- Designed a hybrid IT environment incorporating on-premises servers, private cloud, and public cloud elements to meet privacy and compliance requirements.
- Redesigned the network to resolve latency issues and ensure consistent, reliable access across departments.
Disaster Recovery & Security Enhancements
- Implemented a comprehensive disaster recovery plan to ensure business continuity and minimize data loss.
- Upgraded security protocols and infrastructure protections across the organization.
Results
- A fully modernized, resilient IT infrastructure was successfully implemented.
- The EHR system was deployed on time and met all functionality requirements.
- Internal IT performance improved through staffing adjustments and better support structures.
- Contract renegotiations and system consolidations resulted in measurable cost savings.
- Network performance significantly improved, resolving longstanding latency issues.
- Disaster recovery and data protection capabilities were elevated to meet modern standards.