Technology Deployment and IT Vendor Consolidation Case Study
The dental service organization (DSO) had one philosophy: pioneering a modern, simplistic culture in dentistry and building a network of like-minded dentists that would provide the very best in patient care. This ambitious plan was clearly working, with rapid expansion of new dental practices and partnerships growing in more than 15 states.
The Challenge
Upgrading and Deploying PC Workstations and Networking Technology Across 15 States
While rapid organizational growth is a welcome “problem” to have, a key component of modernizing the dental patient experience meant updating, deploying, and managing the technology for 250 distinct dental offices.
Required technology improvements included swapping and/or upgrading thousands of PC workstations to hardware capable of running Windows 10, as well as major storage, memory, and graphical hardware updates that met the intensive requirements of advanced dental software applications.
In addition to PC deployment services, the DSO required network cable installation, and server rack equipment installations at each new location. This required onsite field service technicians and project coordinators working in sync with the dental practices while not interrupting the practice’s day to day appointments.
An additional layer of complexity: more than 30 different IT vendors were in contact with the DSO. Understanding vendor responsibilities, knowing correct contacts, managing different purchase orders and billing, and coordinating with new site construction contractors all at once was not sustainable – especially with the DSO’s rapid expansion plans.
To avoid major disruptions in nationwide patient care, the DSO needed to a consolidated solution – one trusted partner with a national footprint of technicians to design and execute a successful technology deployment.
The Solution
Carlton Technologies dispatched and managed a nationwide team of onsite field service technicians for more than 250 dental practices in 15+ states.
To successfully deploy computers and networks to several new dental offices at once, Carlton’s detailed project management and ability to source a large pool of quality onsite technicians were crucial in the DSO meeting their ambitious growth without technology becoming a barrier.
Carlton managed a wide range of technology projects from planning to implementation, to completion. Project examples included, but were not limited to:
- Onsite memory and OS (Windows 10) upgrades, as well as PC swaps
- New technology deployments
- New technology installation services
Carlton had key responsibilities for these projects, such as:
Hardware Procurement – Strategic relationships with global technology manufacturers and distributors made it much simpler and cost effective for Carlton to source desktop PCs, server racks, and other network hardware.
Inventory Management – Carlton received, verified, tagged, and serialized, every IT asset in its centralized facility so that the DSO had clear reporting of what they owned and knew exactly where their investments were: one secure, central location.
Staging & Integration – With assets organized and accounted for, the DSO provided an approved “Golden” software image to be installed on each device. With a high-speed multicast server, Carlton performed staging, integration, and configuration for hundreds of computers at a time.
Kitting & Personalization – With proper OS and custom dental software installed on all devices, Carlton then personalized each unit with exact user and location specifications. PCs were then packaged in kits and shipped to the correct locations so they would be “plug and play” for onsite field service technicians to set up immediately with minimal on-site configuration necessary.
Project Management – Managing and dispatching nationwide technicians, coordinating with the DSO internal project team as well as the on-site office personnel was Carlton’s responsibility. As the single point of contact, Carlton provided much needed visibility and simplicity for the DSO regarding the status of each technology project.
Labor Resources – To execute these services at both new and existing dental offices, Carlton provided the project team and coordination necessary to support every onsite field activity.
Technology Decommissioning – When necessary, Carlton de-installed legacy computers. This included secure data wipes to protect sensitive patient information and adhering to strict environmental guidelines during asset disposition.
“Our ambitious expansion plans to provide quality dental care across the U.S. were limited by technology. Carlton helped reduce the strain in just about every way possible. They were thorough, responsive, and organized through the entire project.”
Steve B.
CIO
The Results
Acting as a natural extension of the DSO’s IT department, Carlton’s nationwide deployment and consolidation services ensured that hundreds of new dental offices had functional computers and network connectivity.
The dental services provider went from 30 vendors to just a handful, and continues to successfully modernize and expand its network of practices with Carlton’s help across the U.S.
