With zero downtime, EHR integration, and AI-powered automation — guided by Plow Networks from start to finish.
KEY OUTCOMES
- 100 hrs of IT work saved during evaluation
- Predictable monthly billing vs. variable on-prem costs
- AI automation for patient scheduling and prescription refills
- Zero downtime across all locations during cutover
- Increased inbound call handling capacity
- HIPAA-compliant platform across all sites
10
Vendors evaluated
3
Finalist demos
Hundreds
of IT hours saved
The Challenge
A growing orthopaedic practice with multiple locations across Tennessee had relied on an on-premise phone system for nearly a decade. As the organization expanded — adding sites and scaling patient volume — the limitations of that aging infrastructure became harder to ignore: unpredictable costs, manual workflows, siloed data, and a communications environment not built for the complexity of modern multi-site healthcare.
Leadership recognized it was time to move to the cloud. By the time they engaged Plow Networks, they were 70–80% through their own internal evaluation and had largely settled on a vendor.
The Plow Networks Approach: Consultative, Unbiased, at No Cost
Asking the Right Questions First
Rather than accepting the client’s preliminary vendor decision, Plow Networks did what we always do: asked about the process behind it. One question changed the trajectory of the engagement.
Had they considered how the new phone system would integrate with their Electronic Health Record (EHR) system?
They hadn’t. That gap — and the broader conversation it opened about contact center capabilities and the full patient communications ecosystem — was enough to convince the client it was worth pausing to make sure they were choosing the right solution. Not just for today, but to avoid repeating this process in two or three years.
A Structured, Unbiased Evaluation Process
Plow Networks took ownership of the entire RFI process at no cost to the client. We built a quantitative comparison framework from scratch, starting with 10 vendors and applying the client’s specific requirements to narrow the field. The client reviewed our analysis and selected four finalists, three of whom conducted in-depth demo sessions of 90 to 120 minutes each.
Critically, we didn’t limit this to IT. We brought together leaders from across the organization — EHR management, help desk, intake teams, and executive leadership — to surface pain points from every angle. When the final recommendation went to the CEO for board approval, every stakeholder in that room already understood what Plow Networks had done and why the recommendation made sense.
Vendor Coordination So the Client Didn’t Have To
Throughout the 6–12 month engagement, Plow Networks served as the single point of contact between the client and all vendors — handling scheduling, follow-up, documentation, and vendor management so the IT team could stay focused on running the business rather than managing an RFP process.
The Decision
After evaluating the full competitive landscape, the client selected a cloud-based hosted voice and contact center platform. Three factors drove the decision:
1 EHR Integration
The factor that had been completely overlooked in the client’s initial evaluation. The selected platform’s ability to integrate directly with the practice’s EHR system proved to be the decisive differentiator.
2 Thoroughness of Response
The selected vendor’s engagement with the RFI process demonstrated the deepest understanding of the client’s healthcare environment and operational requirements.
3 Price
The selected platform offered a competitive total cost of ownership, and the move to the cloud meant predictable monthly billing in place of the variable costs of the legacy on-prem system.
Deployment: We Don’t Just Sell It and Move On
Deploying a multi-site communications platform in a live healthcare environment is complex. Plow Networks remained hands-on throughout the entire rollout — coordinating across all parties, resolving issues quickly, and ensuring the business never missed a beat. This is the part of the engagement that doesn’t always make it into a brochure, but it’s often where a technology partner earns their value.
Key elements of our deployment support:
- Network assessments conducted upfront to ensure infrastructure could support the new system before cutover
- A coordinated cutover plan resulting in zero downtime across all locations
- Ongoing presence throughout the rollout to accommodate new practice locations as they came online
Results
Streamlined Operations and Higher Call Capacity
EHR integration eliminated the manual lookup processes that had slowed down help desk and intake teams. Staff could now access all patient information in a single interface, enabling faster call resolution, higher call volume handling, and more inbound patient contacts converting to appointments.
Predictable, Controllable Costs
The client moved from unpredictable, variable billing under the legacy system to a consistent monthly cost model — a meaningful improvement for budget planning and financial visibility across the organization.
HIPAA-Compliant Infrastructure Across All Sites
With healthcare security and compliance requirements central to the evaluation, the selected platform’s HIPAA-compliant architecture gave leadership confidence that patient data and communications would be handled appropriately at every location.
AI Automation: Scheduling and Prescription Refills
Post-deployment, Plow Networks identified opportunities to extend the platform further. The client engaged us to scope and implement Intelligent Virtual Assistant (IVA) technology to automate high-volume, repeatable patient interactions:
- Automated patient appointment scheduling
- Prescription refill handling
These automation capabilities reduced call handling time for routine requests, freeing staff to focus on more complex patient needs and improving the overall patient experience.
Thinking about modernizing your communications infrastructure?
Plow Networks provides unbiased, consultative guidance through every stage — evaluation, selection, deployment, and beyond — at no cost until you’re ready to move forward.
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