Most dermatology practices don't switch IT providers because of one bad day. They switch after a year of slow responses, the same problems coming back and a nagging feeling that nobody is really watching. By the time the decision is made, the practice manager just wants it to be better.
Better is a low bar to clear. These ten questions help you find someone who clears it by a mile.
1. How many dermatology practices do you support?
A general medical answer isn't the same thing. Dermatology has its own systems, its own image volume and its own vendors. A good answer names a number and the systems those practices run. A red flag is "we support lots of healthcare clients."
2. Have you worked with our EHR?
Ask by name: ModMed EMA, Nextech or whatever you run. A good answer describes what they manage around it (workstations, iPads, scanners, the network) and how they work with the vendor's support team. A red flag is "we can learn it."
3. Where would you expect to find our patient photos?
This one tells you quickly whether they understand dermatology. A good answer mentions imaging workstations, camera cards, separate imaging systems and staff phones, not just the EHR. We wrote about why photo backup is where most practices are exposed.
4. When I call, who answers and how fast?
Not the contract's response time. What actually happens. A good answer is a real number backed by data, and a technician who can fix things, not a dispatcher who opens a ticket. Ask whether they measure it and whether they'll show you.
5. What do your clients say about you?
Ask for satisfaction scores, not just three hand-picked references. A provider that surveys every closed ticket and shares the results, good and bad, has nothing to hide.
6. Will you sign a Business Associate Agreement?
The only acceptable answer is yes, before they touch a system with patient data. Any hesitation ends the conversation.
7. What's included, and what costs extra?
Ask specifically about on-site visits, after-hours work, projects, new computer setup and security tools. A good answer is a written list. A red flag is a low monthly price with a long list of hourly add-ons.
8. How does onboarding work, and who talks to our current provider?
A good answer has a plan: documentation first, admin access and a verified backup before anything changes, urgent gaps closed in the first two weeks, and them handling the conversation with your old provider, not you.
9. When would maintenance happen?
Clinic hours are sacred. A good answer is "outside clinic hours by default, and anything touching the EHR scheduled with you first."
10. How do we leave if it doesn't work out?
Nobody likes this question, which is why you should ask it. A good answer is clear: how much notice, whether there's an exit fee, and confirmation that you own your documentation and passwords and get them on the way out.
The answer behind all the answers
What you're really asking is whether this company understands that your practice runs on schedules, images and trust, and that IT exists to protect all three. If they answer like they've done it before, they probably have.
We'd be glad to answer all ten for your practice. Book a 15-minute call with Evan, or estimate your monthly cost first.
