From a young age I just wanted to solve problems for people.
- Michael Stafford
Where were you raised and who or what influenced your career?
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I'm a born and bred Novocastrian and from a young age I just wanted to solve problems for people.
What was your career path after school - did you attend university?
I went straight into the IT industry and this ignited a love for all things tech. I discovered the ability to use technology to solve problems and help people, and this had been a foundation for my whole career.
You worked heavily in IT support in your early career, what did you learn?
Working in various positions taught me the importance of listening to your client and providing a solution that suited them and their business not just an out of the box solution. Knowing your client, building solid understanding and relationship means we can provide a service specific to their needs.
Why did you found your business Smikteck in 2009?
Smikteck was born out of the want to provide a different level of managed service. A service that gives our clients confidence in what we deliver. We back ourselves and our service through our no lock in contracts guarantee. We have to provide a high level of service and support to our clients as there's nothing to tie them to us as a provider except the knowledge that we keep them operational, their data secure and are highly responsive to all client technology issues. Over time I became aware of the high level needs of the medical industry and knew that the Smikteck way would suit their needs. I wanted to make sure that doctors had the information they needed to keep their patients happy and healthy and that meant keeping their technology systems operational, easily accessible and secure.
What services does it offer?
Smikteck offers managed technology services including compliance and strategic technology planning. Specialist organisations need specialist assistance with technology solutions suited to their specific needs. We service clients across a range of industries but find ourselves working with many medical, dental and specialist medical practices. Understanding the importance of secure and reliable technology environments as well as specialised practice software has allowed us to provide a service that keeps our clients online and operational.
How did the initial lockdown impact your business, and what changes were you forced to make in operations?
When the lockdowns came about we were ready to shift to remote operations. We knew we needed to be available to our clients from anywhere. It was such an uncertain time for many of us. Our clients needed our assistance more than ever. For many the move to remote work models was very different and we needed to make sure that our clients were comfortable with how to use the new remote work style. Security was key both internally and for clients.
What led to your work with Awabakal Ltd in assisting it to provide remote vaccinations?
Awabakal were feeling some pain with their technology through failing equipment and cyber incidents. They reached out for assistance and we were happy to help them in a time when they were experiencing change due to the impact of COVID. Awabakal were about to run a number of remote vaccination clinics in their community, to do that they needed to be sure that the operation was seamless and they had access to records and reporting software away from a normal clinical setting.
How did you assist with this health service?
Our team made sure they were onsite and available for every clinic [Awabakal's remote clinics were held in community at Cessnock, Hamilton South, Windale, Metford, Toronto and Jesmond]. We set up work stations with secure wifi and managed the operation of the new technology environment. Being able to set up remote clinics and keep them operational both onsite and remotely meant we were able to do the same for clients in any area. Smikteck manages the technology for clients as far afield as Broken Hill.
What model did you develop to facilitate the service; and is it something that can be used broadly in the medical industry?
We went into the remote clinics with a clear plan to achieve best practice outcomes. We can take this plan to all clients who may need to operate remotely. The key components were to
- Minimise down time and ensure access to patient data. This makes health care workers jobs easier and provides a better experience for patients.
- Set up secure access to patient files in clinics and remotely while remaining compliant with all legislative requirements.
- Create a better patient and user experience by providing stable and secure IT systems. Keeping appointments on-time improves patient outcomes, experience and attendance.
- Provide better communication and connection to patients and community especially for Telehealth. Connecting medical data records and government reporting systems allows comprehensive medical assessments for patients no matter where they are.
- Accessible remote patient care needs secure systems to access medical information. Health care providers can deliver mobile, outreach and pop up clinics in remote areas.
Penelope Green
Business, news and feature reporter.
Business, news and feature reporter.
