How Eastern Plumas Health Care Strengthened IT, Security, and Rural Healthcare Operations
Faced with outdated IT systems, cybersecurity risks, and rising compliance demands, Eastern Plumas Health Care (EPHC) partnered with Intelligent Technical Solutions (ITS) to transform its technology strategy.
The result?
Stronger security and seamless care delivery even during a pandemic, as well as improved access to millions in funding through data-driven programs.
- Healthcare Industry
- Cybersecurity, Managed IT, Data Analytics Type of service
Meeting Healthcare Demands in a Rural Setting
Doug McCoy, CEO of EPHC, leads a team of over 300 people in delivering comprehensive healthcare services, from acute care to rehabilitation, to roughly 25,000 residents across Eastern Plumas and Sierra Counties.
At a glance
- A team of over 300 people
- Roughly 25,000 residents across Eastern Plumas and Sierra Counties
- Comprehensive services, from acute care to rehabilitation
- Partnered with ITS in January 2020
Like many rural hospitals, EPHC faced serious challenges managing IT with a small, resource-stretched internal team. Despite their efforts, EPHC struggled to stay on top of evolving healthcare technology needs.
The Challenge: Aging Technology, Growing Risk, Limited Resources
“We identified that we had vulnerabilities in areas like network infrastructure, obviously cybersecurity. And then technologically, we were falling behind,” Doug explained.
The turning point came in 2020, when a nearby hospital suffered a $20 to $40 million ransomware attack. “It was very important news within our hospital association. Partnering with ITS to look at our systems and vulnerabilities became a top priority,” Doug said.
In January 2020, EPHC made a strategic decision to partner with ITS.
Their goals were clear:
Doug McCoy on Partnering With ITS
“What I wanted was a real relationship, not just someone we call when something breaks. ITS told me I should feel like their only client. Five years later, I still do.”
The Results: Stronger Security, Faster Adaptation, Better Support
“Over five years, we’ve only had one attempted infiltration, and it was caught at 2 a.m. on a weekend. ITS called me immediately, provided an analysis and a report I could give to our board,” McCoy said.
“I oversee quality programs worth up to $2 million annually. Without ITS’s data analytics team, we’d have lost that funding or taken years to ramp up. When I’m in meetings with other hospitals and I say, ‘I have a data analytics team,’ they’re shocked. It’s that rare.”
Ready to Strengthen Your Healthcare IT?
“We couldn’t have done it without them,” McCoy said. “ITS has been one of the pillars that helped us not just survive but excel through COVID and beyond.”
Ready to strengthen your healthcare organization’s IT, compliance, and data systems like EPHC did? Schedule a no-cost consultation with ITS today.