Urban Health Plan (UHP) is a Joint Commission-accredited network of community-based health centers that serves approximately 86,000 patients annually across 12 clinical locations, 12 school-based health centers, and two behavioral health sites located in the South Bronx, Central Harlem, and Queens. Managing this scale of operations requires a robust IT infrastructure and a comprehensive management strategy.

1: UHP Faces Pressing IT Issues

Though UHP had dedicated, talented internal IT staffers, the team was too small to independently conquer UHP’s main challenges:

• Inefficient on-prem hosting setup yielded poor application and database performance
• Long, resource-draining, back-to-back upgrades exhausted the IT team and prolonged system downtime
• Prospective migration to eClinicalWorks (eCW) Cloud raised concerns about the often-nightmarish process of migrating databases

In their search for a reliable IT partner, UHP consulted with other Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) and evaluated several potential hosting solutions—ultimately choosing Physician Select Management (PSM) for consulting services.

2: UHP Initiates Consultative Partnership with PSM

PSM’s team brought in-depth expertise and a proactive approach:

• Cultivated a collaborative partnership built on trust and shared goals
• Used advanced diagnostic tools to identify underlying infrastructure problems
• Offered best practice pathways to improving system reliability
• Managed major upgrades to dramatically decrease downtime and relieve staff stress
• Deployed test servers to minimize operational disruption during system upgrades and interface integrations
• Provided direct assistance with vendor coordination, network troubleshooting, and backend system enhancements
• Leveraged depth of expertise with eCW cloud and other systems to smoothly execute database transitions and instill confidence in IT staff

3: UHP Achieves Significant Efficiency Improvements

This partnership yielded powerful outcomes. In the months following its initiation, UHP’s IT team was able to resolve longstanding infrastructure issues, transition out of survival mode, and shift their focus to strategic initiatives. UHP’s clinical teams also benefited from reduction in system downtime and improvements in task efficiency.

The positive impact of PSM’s services is best captured in the words of UHP’s team members:

“PSM’s level of expertise and ease of working with them has been transformative for our operations. Their knowledge of eCW systems and ability to resolve complex issues gives us confidence in our infrastructure.”

— Allison, Chief Medical Information Officer, UHP

“PSM is more than just a vendor—they’re a true partner. Their hands-on support and quick responses make them an invaluable asset to our IT team.”

— Gustavo, Assistant Director of IT, UHP

4: UHP Highlights the Value of a Trusted HIT Partner

Urban Health Plan’s work with PSM highlights the importance of having a dedicated, knowledgeable hosting partner in the healthcare sector. By addressing performance challenges, providing immediate support, and offering expert insights into eCW systems, PSM enabled UHP to refocus on delivering high-quality patient care.

This case underscores the crucial role of selecting the right healthcare information technology (HIT) partner when navigating complex healthcare technology environments—one that not only understands the technical requirements but also becomes a true extension of your team.

Have questions? Want to replicate this success at your organization? Our team of specialized healthcare IT experts is here to help. Contact us anytime at 1.855.383.4300 or request a quote online.