Nextech Launches Single Sign-On Component to Increase Security, Efficiency and Cost-Savings

TAMPA, FL--(Marketwired - May 30, 2017) - Nextech Systems, a leading provider of specialty-focused health care technology solutions for physician practices, announced the launch of the Single Sign-On (SSO) component for Nextech Select, the market-leading on-premise EMR and Practice Management solution. SSO allows users to log in to Nextech solutions when they log in to Windows. The new component improves security, decreases time spent typing usernames and passwords and ultimately reduces user and IT inconveniences. Calculations find that technologies such as SSO can save a practice nearly $70 per day, or $2,675 per year for each clinician.

It is common for staff members to manage multiple passwords for several devices and systems, which can cause users to resort to insecure actions such as writing passwords on sticky notes or sharing passwords with other users. These actions pose significant security risks for both the individual and the practice. The new SSO feature addresses these risks by integrating the Nextech login service with a practice's Active Directory. Where users previously logged in to their desktop and then logged in to Nextech, they now open Nextech with no additional user authentication required. The SSO component simplifies the login process for users and improves security of patient data by reducing vulnerabilities related to logging in and out with each entry.

"Security is always a major focus for Nextech, and we are excited to offer a component that will increase both security and efficiency for our users," says Tommy Richardson, Nextech's Chief Technology Officer and SVP of Technology. "If you think about the data housed in the Nextech solutions, there's a lot of patient information that must remain secure. We do a lot of development work each release to continue to ensure that this information remains secure. SSO is one of those initiatives, and is a fantastic added layer of security for our users."

In addition to addressing day-to-day issues, SSO helps reduce user management burdens on the IT administrators for practices that experience frequent staff changes, such as turnovers or promotions. Typically, when new staff members are added to a practice, IT professionals must create and maintain a new user login on multiple platforms, including the desktop and the Nextech system. The SSO component allows the IT staff to create a new user login once, decreasing time spent on administrative tasks and increasing efficiency. Furthermore, when a staff member does leave or moves to a different role within the practice, the IT staff will only have to disable the credentials in one place, rather than accessing multiple platforms and programs to shut down access to irrelevant departments.

Not only does the SSO component save time and increase efficiency for clinicians and IT staff, it also improves the patient experience. Assuming providers see 30 patients per day and spend 15-20 seconds logging into a workstation and their EMR system, Nextech's SSO solution can save an average of 9.5 minutes per day per clinician. Those extra minutes saved could be used to add another patient to the schedule, or even to spend additional face time with each patient. Using an average salary of $135,000 per year and a 250-day work year as a benchmark, the cost savings per clinician would be $68 per day, or $2,675 per year.

"Improving data security, boosting user satisfaction and increasing practice efficiencies are our main driving goals with the Single-Sign On component," says Richardson. "This is just one of the steps we are taking toward advancing Nextech products to provide our customers with the best solutions to improve their practices."

About Nextech

Nextech is the complete health care technology solution for specialty providers. Since 1997, Nextech has been focused on delivering intelligent, intuitive, integrated solutions that empower specialty physicians to maximize efficiency, optimize charting accuracy and increase overall practice profitability. Nextech services more than 7,000 physicians and over 50,000 office staff members in the clinical specialties of Ophthalmology, Dermatology and Plastic Surgery.