Does Managed IT Support Work With Epic, Athenahealth, eClinicalWorks, or Kareo?

A guide for Dallas–Fort Worth medical practices (10–25 employees) on EHR compatibility with managed IT services.

How Managed IT and Your EHR System Actually Work Together

It’s a common misconception that IT providers “integrate” with EHR software the way one app connects to another. In reality, your EHR vendor owns and supports the software itself — patient charting, scheduling, billing, clinical workflows — and must meet certification standards set by the Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT (ONC). Your managed IT provider is responsible for everything the EHR runs on top of:

• Network speed and reliability (so the EHR doesn’t lag or time out)
• Workstation and server performance
• Internet redundancy and failover
• Security tools that protect ePHI moving in and out of the EHR
• Backup and disaster recovery for locally-stored data
• Microsoft 365 and email systems that connect to EHR notifications and referrals

In short: the EHR vendor supports the software. Your MSP supports the environment the software lives in. Both roles matter, and they need to coordinate — which is where EHR-experienced MSPs stand apart from generalist IT companies.

EHR Platform-by-Platform: What to Know

1. Epic

Epic is most common in larger health systems and hospital-affiliated practices, though some independent specialty practices run it as well. Epic environments are typically cloud-hosted or hosted through Epic’s infrastructure, which shifts more of the responsibility onto network reliability, endpoint security, and identity management on your side. A qualified MSP should be able to support Citrix or remote desktop environments often used to access Epic, strong identity and access management (MFA, conditional access), and high-availability internet connections, since Epic performance is highly sensitive to latency.

2. Athenahealth

Athenahealth is fully cloud-based, which means your practice’s internet reliability and endpoint security carry more weight than on-premise server management. A managed IT provider supporting Athenahealth should focus on redundant internet connections to prevent full stoppage during outages, endpoint protection on every device accessing the platform, and secure Wi-Fi segmentation separating clinical devices from guest and admin networks.

3. eClinicalWorks

eClinicalWorks is used in both cloud-hosted and on-premise/server-based configurations, so your MSP’s responsibilities vary based on your setup. Practices running a local server deployment need server maintenance and patching, local backup and disaster recovery with tested recovery time objectives, and network segmentation to isolate the server from general office traffic. Cloud-hosted deployments shift closer to the Athenahealth model above.

4. Kareo

Kareo is popular with smaller practices and solo or group specialty offices due to its lighter footprint and cloud-native design. Because it’s fully cloud-based, an MSP supporting Kareo should prioritize reliable, redundant internet connectivity, strong password and MFA policies since access is browser-based, and email security, since Kareo integrates with practice communications and patient messaging.

The Real Question to Ask a Prospective IT Provider

Instead of asking “do you support this EHR,” ask these three questions instead — they reveal whether a provider actually understands healthcare IT:

1. “Have you supported practices using this EHR before, and what issues did you run into?” — Specific past experience beats a generic “yes.”
2. “How do you handle internet redundancy if our primary connection goes down?” — Cloud-based EHRs go fully offline without a backup connection.
3. “How do you secure devices and networks that touch our EHR, and does that meet HIPAA safeguard requirements?” — This confirms they think about compliance, not just connectivity.

Common EHR-Related IT Issues We See in DFW Medical Practices

• Slow EHR performance caused by inadequate internet bandwidth or an oversaturated network
• No secondary internet connection, causing a full charting/scheduling outage during an ISP failure
• Shared logins into the EHR — a HIPAA risk, not just a bad habit
• Old workstations that struggle to run EHR software alongside Microsoft 365 and imaging tools
• Referral and fax integrations breaking after an email migration was handled without EHR context

Many of these issues are invisible until they cause downtime — which is exactly why EHR compatibility is as much about proactive management as it is about a one-time setup.

Why Medical Practices Choose SilverStorm Solutions for EHR-Adjacent IT Support

We don’t replace or compete with your EHR vendor — we make sure the network, security, and infrastructure around it keep your practice running without disruption.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does switching IT providers affect my EHR system?
No. Your EHR is managed separately by its own vendor. A new IT provider takes over the surrounding network, security, and infrastructure — your EHR data and functionality remain untouched during a properly managed transition.

Do I need a special IT provider for cloud-based EHRs like Athenahealth or Kareo?
Not a “special” provider, but you do need one that prioritizes internet redundancy and endpoint security, since cloud-based EHRs go fully offline if your internet connection fails without a backup.

Can a generalist IT company support a medical practice’s EHR needs?
Generalist IT companies can often handle basic connectivity, but healthcare-specific MSPs are better equipped to address HIPAA safeguards, EHR-specific performance issues, and compliance documentation that generalist providers may overlook.

What should I do if my EHR keeps freezing or running slowly?
Slow EHR performance is often caused by network bandwidth issues, outdated workstations, or server configuration problems rather than the EHR software itself. A network and infrastructure assessment can identify the actual cause.

Related resources:
Cybersecurity Assessment ·
Backup & Disaster Recovery ·
Cloud Computing & Networking ·
HIPAA Compliance Guide