Health Center Cuts 75% in Print Spend While Expanding Fleet
The Challenge: Aging Equipment & Limited Visibility
A Chicago-based Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) provides comprehensive healthcare services to communities across the region through a network of nine locations. Its clinical and administrative operations are supported by a distributed fleet of 75 print devices.
As the fleet aged, maintaining the print environment became increasingly difficult. Heavily utilized devices were experiencing reliability issues, while inconsistent service and account support from the organization’s existing provider complicated issue resolution. Toner fulfillment had become a recurring challenge, with supplies sometimes reaching the wrong locations while other devices ran out. Billing and lease administration added another layer of complexity.
Additionally, the FQHC lacked sufficient visibility into device utilization and print volumes across locations. Without reliable usage data, it was difficult to determine which devices were appropriately sized, which were being overutilized, and where unnecessary printing was occurring. The organization needed to improve fleet reliability and service while gaining greater visibility into utilization and addressing aging equipment without unnecessarily replacing devices.
The Solution: Strategic Fleet Modernization
FlexTG began with an assessment of the FQHC’s print environment, analyzing utilization and print volumes across the 75-device fleet. The data showed that a full fleet replacement was unnecessary. Instead, FlexTG developed a mixed-fleet strategy based on the condition and utilization of individual devices.
30 existing Canon devices that remained functional were retained and incorporated into FlexTG’s managed print program, while 45 aging, overutilized or inefficient devices were replaced with new HP equipment. FlexTG also assumed service responsibility for the retained devices, creating a single support structure across the mixed fleet and extending the useful life of existing assets.
Print-volume analysis also exposed inefficiencies that had previously been difficult to identify. The assessment uncovered approximately 100,000 color impressions associated with an external vendor process, giving the organization the data needed to investigate the workflow and eliminate the unnecessary printing. Beyond the initial deployment, FlexTG established ongoing account management, toner fulfillment, service support and reporting to provide a more structured approach to managing the environment across all nine locations.
The Results: Greater Predictability & Long-Term Value
By replacing 45 devices while retaining and supporting 30 viable Canon devices, the FQHC modernized the areas of its fleet that required investment without absorbing the cost of an unnecessary full-fleet replacement. The strategy addressed aging equipment that would otherwise have represented a growing replacement liability for the organization.
The FQHC also gained a more centralized approach to managing its print environment. Devices across all nine locations are now supported under a single managed print program, with centralized toner fulfillment, service support, and account management. Improved reporting provides greater visibility into print activity, while regular QBRs create a structured cadence for reviewing performance, evaluating utilization and identifying additional opportunities for optimization.
Key Results
- 75 devices managed across nine healthcare locations
- 45 new HP devices deployed while 30 operational Canon devices were retained
- 100,000 unnecessary color impressions identified and eliminated
- Mixed fleet consolidated under a single managed print program
- Centralized toner, service and account support across all nine locations
- Regular reporting and QBRs providing ongoing visibility into print volumes and utilization
Looking Ahead: Security & Continued Optimization
Rather than treating the deployment as a one-time equipment replacement, the FQHC and FlexTG established a five-year approach to managing the print environment. Ongoing utilization data and account management provide a framework for evaluating device performance, anticipating future replacement needs, and continuing to optimize the fleet as clinical and administrative requirements evolve.
The organization is also evaluating secure print, device firmware security, and fax modernization initiatives as the next phase of its document strategy. Together, these initiatives would build on the visibility and centralized management established through the initial engagement while addressing evolving security and workflow requirements.
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