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Hospitals are nonstop. With patients to care for, records to manage, and teams across departments juggling their own devices, managing your print environment might not be the first thing on your mind. However, it can quietly drain your budget and staff resources.
In our 35+ years as a local print vendor, we’ve helped many hospitals cut back on excess print costs. Sometimes, we save up to 30% just by consolidating service, supplies, and strategy under a Managed Print Services (MPS) contract.
So, is MPS the right move for your hospital? This blog breaks it down. We’ll explain what MPS is, highlight the pros and cons, and share a real example of how one Texas hospital streamlined their printing and saved 15%.
What Is Managed Print Services (MPS)?
Managed Print Services (MPS) is a full-service solution that helps you manage your fleet of printers, copiers, and multifunction devices. Instead of juggling multiple vendors, surprise invoices, and out-of-stock toner, MPS gives you:
- Automatic toner shipments when levels run low
- On-site service from certified technicians
- Fleet assessments to reduce excess equipment
- One monthly invoice for all print-related expenses
At STPT, we call our MPS program eValet. It’s designed to help hospitals and other large organizations reclaim control over their print environments and reduce operational friction.
That said, not every provider includes the same features. Some require a minimum number of network-connected printers (usually 15+). Non-networked and Inkjet devices typically don’t qualify.
And if you want detailed reporting or usage restrictions, you’ll likely need external software like Y-Soft or PaperCut.
Pros of MPS for Hospitals
1. More Control Over Printing Costs
Hospitals often maintain dozens or even hundreds of devices. Without oversight, print-related costs can quickly spiral. MPS helps bring those expenses under control.
Auto-Toner Shipments
MPS ensures that toner is shipped automatically and only when it's actually needed, eliminating guesswork and preventing shelves from being stocked with the wrong cartridges. This way, you receive the right supplies, exactly when you need them, for the right machines.
Learn more about auto toner shipments here.
Reduced Overhead
Many hospitals we’ve worked with used to juggle multiple invoices and manually track toner needs, which was quite cumbersome. However, one hospital shared that they reclaimed over 3 hours each week just by allowing MPS to manage their supplies and billing. This resulted in fewer vendor contacts and reduced administrative stress.
One Invoice Simplicity
With MPS, you receive one itemized invoice per month for all your print-related expenses, including service, supplies, and usage. This makes life easier for your accounts payable team.
Print Tracking & Limit Setting
When paired with software like PaperCut or Y-Soft, MPS can track who’s printing what and how much. You can also set user limits, restrict color usage, or enforce double-sided printing. It’s an easy way to cut waste.
2. Less Burden on IT Teams
Your IT staff has bigger things to focus on than jammed copiers and firmware updates. MPS takes that burden off their plate.
Related Read: 6 Ways to Make Your Printing Processes Easier for Your IT Staff.
Fleet Standardization
Hospitals often have a cluttered mix of different printer brands. MPS providers can help streamline this by consolidating your fleet to just one or two standardized models. This not only reduces the variety of supplies you need to manage but also makes training easier and repairs faster.
Plus, a recent print security landscape study by Quocirca found that, “..Organizations operating a standardized fleet are less likely to report one or more data losses (59%) than those operating a multivendor fleet (70%).”
Asset Optimization
MPS helps identify underused machines and shifts high-capacity printers to the areas where they are needed most, such as records departments or nurse stations. This ensures that every device operates efficiently.
On-Site Technicians
Rather than calling multiple vendors, you get direct access to manufacturer-trained techs. They’re fast, familiar with your machines, and often solve issues quicker than third-party repair crews.
3. Stronger Security and Compliance
Hospitals handle sensitive patient data every day, and unsecured printers can be a weak link.
Vulnerability Risk
In a CyberNews experiment, researchers demonstrated how easily unsecured devices can be exploited. They hijacked over 27,000 open printers to print unsolicited messages, proving just how easy it is to exploit these devices.
Read our blog 5 Steps to Make Your Office Cybersecure for practical tips to protect your network.
24/7 Monitoring and Firmware Updates
MPS includes proactive monitoring and firmware updates to keep your devices protected. Since many security breaches occur due to outdated firmware, MPS helps you stay ahead and avoid these risks.
Eliminating Risky Devices
Older or non-networked machines often lack the security features needed for today's standards. However, MPS helps identify these vulnerabilities and gradually phases out those risks.
Limiting Third-Party Access
With one vendor managing your fleet, you not only streamline operations, you also reduce the number of external parties with access to your network. That’s a big win for security.
Want more security tips? Read: 4 Ways to Protect Your Printer from Cyberattacks.
4. Supports Environmental Goals
Hospitals produce a lot of waste, but MPS can help offset that impact.
Toner Recycling
Many providers (including us) offer take-back programs for used toner cartridges. These keep toxic materials out of landfills and help meet sustainability goals. Learn more about toner recycling here.
Reducing Energy Use
MPS helps identify energy-hogging machines and can enable features like auto-shutoff to reduce your footprint and your power bill.
Cutting Paper Waste
The EPA states that paper constitutes 35% of municipal solid waste by weight. MPS can enforce default duplex printing, enable print preview queues, and teach staff better habits to reduce paper waste.
Want more info? Read: 6 Ways Xerox is Helping to Combat Climate Change
Cons of MPS for Hospitals
1. Print Tracking May Require Extra Software
Want detailed usage reports or the ability to limit printing by user? You’ll likely need add-on software like Y-Soft or PaperCut, which adds cost but also offers more powerful control.
2. Staff May Push Back on Monitoring
Some staff may not like the idea of their printing being monitored. It’s important to reassure them that the main goal is cost control, rather than micromanagement.
3. MPS Isn’t for Every Hospital
MPS works best for hospitals with 15+ printers and high print volumes. If your setup is small or low-volume, the savings might not outweigh the cost.
Real-World Example: North Texas Regional Hospital
A regional hospital in North Texas approached us with rising print costs and a fragmented vendor setup. After implementing our eValet MPS solution, they:
- Gained visibility into their full printer fleet
- Managed 70+ devices under one dashboard
- Consolidated 8 vendor invoices into one
- Reduced monthly print spending by 15%
- Gave IT teams back valuable time to focus on patient-critical tech
We continue to optimize their fleet as their needs evolve.
Is MPS Right for Your Hospital?
MPS isn’t for everyone. But if your hospital:
- Manages 15+ network-connected printers
- Faces rising print costs and wasted supplies
- Wants better security, sustainability, and simplified service
- Needs to free up IT time
...then it’s worth exploring.
Get Clarity on Cost
Curious about the potential costs of MPS for your hospital? In the blog below, we provide a comprehensive breakdown, covering print volume calculations and click rates, as well as real-world examples. This will help you understand everything more clearly.
