Amedisys Success Story
Amedisys Finds Scalable, Reliable Microsoft Support with US Cloud
Success Story Overview
Amedisys, a leading healthcare provider, faced mounting challenges with Microsoft’s transition from Premier to Unified Support. Rising costs, declining responsiveness, and the need for a stronger escalation partner drove the organization to seek an alternative. After evaluating peer recommendations and references, Amedisys chose US Cloud to deliver third-party Microsoft support. Five years later, they continue to rely on US Cloud for cost-effective, responsive, and proactive IT support.
Quick Stats
Organization: Amedisys
Location: Louisiana, USA
Industry: Consumer Services
Size: Large (1,000 – 10,000 employees)
Why They Replaced Unified: Rising Unified Prices, Low Client Advocacy, Degrading Service Quality
Challenges
Like many enterprises, Amedisys experienced two major pain points with Microsoft’s Unified Support model:
- Escalating Costs: Microsoft’s shift to a percentage-of-spend model meant steep year-over-year increases that didn’t align with actual usage.
- Declining Service Quality: Tickets often lingered without updates, and communication delays across time zones left IT teams waiting for resolution.
- Limited Advocacy: Microsoft’s outsourced support structure left Amedisys feeling underserved, with little leverage when escalations were necessary.
The organization needed a partner who could not only match technical capability but also deliver fair pricing and true advocacy.
Why the Switch to US Cloud Worked (and Still Does)
For Amedisys, moving to US Cloud wasn’t just about replacing Microsoft—it was about gaining a support partner that aligned with their operational and financial needs.
“Microsoft’s model didn’t make sense anymore,” recalls Todd Daigle, Director of IT. “Costs were going up while service quality was going down. With US Cloud, we get equal or better responsiveness at a fraction of the price.”
Matt Dillman, IT Manager, highlighted the added value of proactive support:
“Our SCCM administrator isn’t an expert, but US Cloud’s SCCM specialists are. Proactive tickets prevent issues before they happen, which is critical for us.”
Not only do US Cloud engineers add expertise that rises to meet the needs of the Amedisys organization, their consistent TAMs advocate for the team during the occasional incident when Microsoft is needed. Shortly after this client began third-party Microsoft support from US Cloud, they brought in a ticket that had been open with Microsoft Unified for several months. Unified engineers did not resolve the issue before Amedisys switched to US Cloud.
Once the ticket was submitted to US Cloud, it was later escalated to Microsoft. Dillman recalls,
“US Cloud was responsive, but Microsoft dragged its feet. Without US Cloud pushing, I don’t think we would have seen resolution. That’s why I don’t see us ever going back to Microsoft support.”
The US Cloud Advantage
At the core of Amedisys’s decision to stay with US Cloud year after year are three key differentiators:
Fair, Transparent Pricing
Instead of paying for inflated service models, Amedisys contracts only for the hours they use. Each year, they right-size their agreement to match actual usage, ensuring IT dollars are maximized.
Responsive Escalation Path
Complex issues often require Microsoft involvement. US Cloud acts as a powerful advocate, leveraging trusted escalation partners and direct Microsoft escalation paths to get faster, more effective resolutions than Amedisys ever experienced with Unified.
Proactive IT Support
Beyond reactive tickets, US Cloud hours are used for training, proactive reviews, and hands-on guidance—helping Amedisys strengthen its team while reducing future dependency on outside support.
Ongoing Impact
Many years into the partnership, Amedisys reports measurable benefits:
- Cost Control: Year-over-year savings compared to Microsoft Unified Support, with flexibility to reinvest unused hours into training and education.
- Improved Responsiveness: Faster, more engaged support on critical tickets, without the delays common under Microsoft.
- Operational Insight: Monthly reporting from US Cloud’s portal highlights ticket trends, application-specific issues, and areas for team training—turning support data into a roadmap for continuous improvement.
- Peace of Mind: With a “break glass” escalation partner always available, Amedisys leadership feels confident in their ability to maintain uptime and service quality for a demanding, regulated industry.
Conclusion
The Amedisys team’s move to US Cloud demonstrates how enterprises can take control of their IT budgets and support outcomes by moving away from Microsoft Unified Support. With fair pricing, proactive partnership, and reliable escalation, US Cloud has become more than just a support vendor—it’s an extension of the Amedisys IT team.
“US Cloud has been our partner for years now,” said Daigle. “The relationship is fair, the service is strong, and the value speaks for itself. I don’t see us ever going back to Microsoft support.”
