You know the saying “don’t put all your eggs in one basket.” It definitely applies to storage of patient data.
Let’s say basket No. 1 is the local server. Storing all your patient data here without cloud backup poses a significant risk in the event of theft, flood, fire or other natural event. There’s also the risk of human error if you forget to run a backup or an employee accidentally deletes a folder off the server.
Relying solely on basket No. 2, the cloud, is also not advisable for fear of ransomware attacks and other viruses. Also, the monthly subscription cost of a dental web-based solution can exceed the cost of ownership of a server-based model over time.
Rather than putting all your patient data in one basket, using a hybrid system that utilizes both baskets, cloud and local server, is advisable. This is why XLDent developed its practice management software as a hybrid mix of solutions that reside both in a private cloud and client server. For instance, XLDent’s ePrescribing and Patient Access Portals rely on the cloud, as well as the HIPAA-compliant, subscription-based SecureMail. This feature is simple yet powerful enough to secure sensitive patient email and file attachments from accidental exposure and data theft. XLDent’s cloud-based offerings are balanced by feature-rich solutions—the bread and butter of day-to-day operations—that run with the speed and efficiency of client-server computing.
In a recent blog post, XLDent’s technical systems support representative Nathan reminds practices that losing their data is inevitable; it will happen to everyone at some point. It can be a painstaking and time-consuming process to rebuild what you’ve lost. In one recent example, a client hadn’t backed up regularly to the cloud and a physical hard drive had failed. That practice lost all of their data. It’s unfortunate to think how they’ll have to explain this to their trusting patients.
Uncertain if your backups are running correctly? XLDent offers offsite backup storage, a web-based service that includes professional management of your backup solution. Importantly, this service is compatible with all dental practice management and image management solutions. It includes storage management and optimization, data integrity/verification checks, and annual disaster recovery fire drills. A hybrid solution, offsite backup includes local storage that keeps an encrypted copy of patient data.
In the day-to-day operations of a busy dental office, it can be difficult to analyze your IT solutions—so don’t! Let the professionals help so you can focus on patient care. Contact XLDent to learn more.