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The true costs of downtime

Have you ever stopped to think about the true cost of clinic downtime due to system failure? Whether it’s caused by a network issue, server crash, software outage or internet disruption, even a brief interruption can lead to significant losses in revenue, patient care and reputation.

In this article, we explore the real impact of downtime using practical examples and answer common questions from clinic owners and practice managers across Australia.

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Title: Clinic Downtime And What Does It Cost?
Duration: 05:32

Sam Ogutucu, Managing Director from the Medic Cloud team

Sam, Medic Cloud Managing Director

How much does clinic downtime cost you?

The cost varies depending on your clinic’s size and setup. On average:

  • A small to mid-sized clinic loses between $1,900 and $4,500 per hour of downtime.

  • Cancelled appointments can result in tens of thousands in lost income each day.

  • Recovery time and reputational repair can set your team back weeks in productivity.

What drives these costs?

Factor Impact on Clinic Operations
Missed appointments Loss of income and disruptions to the schedule
Staff idleness Wages paid despite no productive work
Rebooking and admin delays Extra workload and duplicated efforts for front-desk staff
Phone system failure Missed patient calls and referral opportunities
Inaccessible clinical data Delays in diagnosis or treatment, possible patient safety concerns
Compliance exposure Risk of breaching RACGP or Privacy Act obligations

Don’t cloud systems prevent this?

Cloud-based software does improve data security and accessibility, but it doesn’t completely protect your clinic from outages. For example, if your internet connection fails:

  • Your Electronic Medical Record (EMR), appointment system and clinical records become inaccessible.

  • VoIP phones may also go offline.

  • Staff are left unable to perform their usual tasks.

What typically causes clinic downtime?

The most common causes include:

  • Internet dropouts, especially in areas with congested NBN services

  • Power outages

  • Ransomware, viruses or cyber attacks

  • Hardware or server failure

  • Software updates or expired licences

Can’t we just wait it out?

Waiting it out can cost more than you expect. Every minute of downtime adds to the operational pressure and financial damage. Even worse, patients affected by delays or disruptions may not return.

A recent industry survey revealed:

  • 88% of patients do not rebook after a digital or scheduling failure

  • Clinics without continuity plans take three times longer to recover from IT issues

How can you prevent downtime?

Prevention starts with a smart continuity plan that includes:

  • Dual internet connections with automatic failover

  • Ongoing monitoring of server and software health

  • Real-time alerts and automated system recovery tools

  • Clear emergency protocols your staff can follow confidently

How Medic Cloud supports your practice

At Medic Cloud, we design medical-grade IT environments tailored to clinical needs. Our solutions include:

  • Smart failover systems and backup internet lines

  • Tiered continuity planning to suit your clinic’s size and budget

  • Monitoring tools that detect and neutralise threats before they cause disruption

  • 24/7 system visibility to keep you in control.

Software solutions we offer at Medic Cloud

Our range of software solutions.

A simple, old-fashioned backup strategy

Even with advanced tools, sometimes simple steps make the biggest difference. Here are two basic but highly effective safeguards we recommend:

  1. Keep an emergency mobile phone on-site
    This allows your staff to make and receive urgent calls even if the clinic’s main phone system or internet is down.

  2. Print the next day’s appointment list every afternoon
    Include patient names, clinician details and contact numbers. This lets your team manually manage bookings and reach out to patients during an outage.

These two actions cost almost nothing. Just a few sheets of paper and a basic mobile but they can save your clinic from chaos during unexpected system failures.

Final thoughts

Clinic downtime isn’t just inconvenient. It threatens your financial health, patient trust and long-term performance. Fortunately, the cost of prevention is only a fraction of what a system failure can cost.

By planning ahead and partnering with experienced healthcare IT providers like Medic Cloud, your clinic can stay resilient no matter what the day throws at you. Speak to us today and let us help you.

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