Enhancing Elderly Care: C1’s IT Success at Meadowlark Hills

"C1 has been like another team member. They make our projects happen smoothly and on time.” 

Will Gold | Director of IT, Meadowlark Hills 

The Challenge:

Enhancing Elderly Care: C1’s IT Success at Meadowlark Hills 

With a complex infrastructure spread across multiple locations, including the main Meadowlark Hills campus, two additional facilities in El Dorado and Augusta, and a home health office in Topeka, maintaining seamless operations was daunting.   

Will Gold, the Director of IT, had to manage a vast array of technological needs with a small team of four.   

“When I started, our primary partner was another company, and we faced numerous issues, from outdated systems to inefficient management,” Gold explained. The immediate challenge was streamlining their Active Directory, ensuring robust security measures, and updating their aging infrastructure.   

Additionally, the ever-evolving security landscape required constant vigilance. "We had to overhaul our entire firewall system and implement new physical security cameras," said Gold. The existing IT setup was fragmented and lacked cohesive management, leading to inefficiencies and potential security vulnerabilities.   

Meadowlark Hills’ operations were also hampered by the lack of centralized control over their extensive network, which spanned multiple locations. With such a small team, Meadowlark needed a reliable partner to support their IT operations, from licensing and software management to hardware maintenance and network optimization. 

The Solution:

C1's Comprehensive Solution for Meadowlark Hills’s IT  

To tackle these challenges, Meadowlark Hills partnered with C1, a decision driven by the need for a more responsive and comprehensive IT support system. C1 brought expertise in various areas, including enterprise infrastructure and security. They initiated a series of strategic improvements, starting with the replacement of MRF's outdated Storage Area Network (SAN) and migration from on-premises Exchange to Office 365. This transformation streamlined operations and enhanced data management capabilities significantly. "Our first project with C1 was replacing our entire SAN, and it was a game-changer," Gold recalled.  

Additionally, C1 fortified Meadowlark’s security posture by implementing advanced Cisco Meraki firewalls, routers, and surveillance cameras, bolstering the Foundation's defenses against evolving cyber threats. They also facilitated Meadowlark’s transition to Microsoft Azure, optimizing scalability and efficiency across their dispersed facilities. Managing Microsoft licensing became more streamlined, ensuring compliance and reducing operational overhead.  

Gold emphasized the critical role C1 played in enabling these advancements: "Without C1, we’d still be struggling with these projects. They provided the expertise we lacked." This comprehensive support system empowered Meadowlark to prioritize their mission of delivering exceptional care to seniors, confident that their IT infrastructure was robust, secure, and poised for future growth. 

The Result:

Achieving Milestones: C1's Impact on Meadowlark Hills   

The partnership with C1 yielded significant improvements for Meadowlark Hills. Their IT infrastructure became more reliable and efficient, markedly reducing downtime and enhancing overall service delivery.   

"We don’t go anywhere else for IT needs now; C1 handles everything," Gold stated confidently.   

The transition to Office 365 and the implementation of a new Storage Area Network (SAN) provided scalable solutions, ensuring ample room for growth and improved data management capabilities.  

Security enhancements, including Cisco Meraki firewalls and surveillance cameras, fortified the protection of sensitive resident data and bolstered physical security across Meadowlark Hills’ campuses.   

"C1 has been like another team member. They make our projects happen smoothly and on time," Gold emphasized, highlighting the seamless execution facilitated by C1.  

Proactive management of licensing and software renewals by C1 ensured Meadowlark Hills remained compliant and operationally efficient, solidifying the partnership’s value. The adoption of Microsoft Azure for additional facilities streamlined operations and enhanced inter-facility communication and data management.  

Looking ahead, Gold noted potential challenges in evolving security threats and software transitions over the next five years but expressed confidence in C1's ability to navigate these complexities. The ongoing support from C1 has empowered Meadowlark Hills to pursue its mission with assurance, knowing their IT infrastructure is robust and well-prepared for future challenges.