Planning next year’s technology budget is easier when your practice can separate a known problem from an unanswered question. “We have backups” is not the same as knowing which records are covered, who can restore them and what happened during the last recovery test.
For Orlando medical practices preparing a 2027 IT plan, use this checklist to organize a conversation among your practice manager, security lead, IT provider and application vendors. It is a practical starting point, not a complete HIPAA risk analysis or legal advice.
Map where electronic patient information goes
List the systems that create, receive, store or transmit electronic protected health information. Include your EHR, billing and claims tools, imaging, patient messaging, email, shared files, mobile devices and backup locations. Record who owns each system and which vendor administers it.
Check the less obvious handoffs: exported reports, scanned documents, downloaded attachments and information shared between locations. Keep this inventory in an appropriately secured location rather than attaching patient records to a planning spreadsheet.
Evidence to request: A current system inventory, responsible contacts and a simple description of how information moves between systems.
Review risks before buying another tool
A vulnerability scan can help identify technical weaknesses, but it does not replace an organization-wide risk analysis. HHS guidance describes risk analysis as a broader review of risks to electronic protected health information throughout the organization. Read HHS risk-analysis guidance.
Ask when your practice last reviewed its risks and what has changed since then: new software, a second location, remote work, a new vendor or an unfamiliar AI tool. Have the appropriate practice leader determine which changes need further assessment.
Evidence to request: A documented review, unresolved findings and named owners for next steps—not simply a software score.
Check access against actual staff responsibilities
Review who can access patient information, administrative settings and shared resources. Compare those permissions with current roles. Ask your administrator about individual accounts, multi-factor authentication, remote access and how unusual activity is reviewed. Confirm what each application supports before assuming one setting covers everything.
Include staff who have changed responsibilities, not only new hires or departures. For the specific exit process, use our medical-practice staff offboarding checklist.
Evidence to request: A permission review with exceptions assigned for resolution. Do not share passwords in the review document.
Ask for recovery evidence and a downtime workflow
Identify what is backed up, what is excluded and who is responsible for restoration. Ask when a representative recovery was last tested, what was restored and which problems were discovered. Arrange testing with the relevant vendors so it does not disrupt patient care or overwrite production information.
Separately, decide how staff should work when the EHR, internet connection or billing system is unavailable. HHS’s Security Rule summary describes contingency planning that includes backup, restoration and protecting electronic patient information during emergency operations. HHS Security Rule summary.
Evidence to request: Backup scope, test results, escalation contacts and an approved downtime procedure.
Clarify device and vendor responsibilities
Review workstations, network equipment and other connected systems for support status, update responsibilities and replacement needs. Ask vendors about compatibility before planning upgrades that could affect clinical applications or equipment.
For each service, record who handles security settings, updates, access changes, backups and incident escalation. Have the practice’s appropriate adviser review business-associate arrangements where applicable. A vendor subscription alone does not explain every responsibility.
Evidence to request: A responsibility list, support-renewal dates and an inventory of items needing vendor review.
Build the 2027 plan around decisions
Turn the findings into a short work list. For each item, record the risk or operational problem, owner, proposed action, dependency, estimated cost and target date. Separate recurring support expenses from one-time projects and equipment purchases.
Use three planning groups: issues needing prompt attention, work to schedule in the next quarter, and longer-term improvements. Let the assessed risk and clinical workflow determine priority; do not postpone an urgent problem just because it was not in the original budget.
Before approving an AI tool, define the intended task, allowed information, review process and vendor responsibilities. Do not enter patient information into an unapproved tool while evaluating it.
Discuss your practice’s next steps
CMIT Solutions West Orlando & Kissimmee can discuss your technology concerns and the support scope appropriate to your practice. Explore our healthcare IT support or request a conversation with the local team.
Ask about the Free Vulnerability Report and what it covers. It is not a certification of compliance or a complete HIPAA risk analysis. Please do not include patient information, passwords or sensitive technical records in the public inquiry form.
