How to help your IT help desk shift from password resets to strategic work
Reducing password reset tickets helps IT teams operate more efficiently and better support clinical care.
At many hospitals, the IT help desk is stuck doing necessary but mundane, non-strategic work. A significant portion of support tickets are consumed by simple password resets, putting the help desk on the frontline of an avoidable problem. While each request may seem minor, together they drain IT resources, interrupt clinical workflows, and pull staff away from work that improves security and performance. Recent Imprivata research reveals that 40% of healthcare IT leaders cite increased IT and help desk workload as one of the top negative impacts from password management at their organisation. In an environment where the pace of work directly impacts patient care, this is time healthcare organisations can’t afford to lose.
Learn more about what passwordless access is and why it’s critical for modern organisations.
Why are password reset requests so common in healthcare?
Password resets are especially persistent in healthcare because traditional authentication is not designed for clinical workflow demands. Clinicians move rapidly between shared workstations, access multiple systems and applications throughout a shift, and work across on-site and remote environments. Complex password policies, frequent expirations, and remote access requirements increase inefficiencies, gaps, and risks, often leading to forgotten passwords. As a result, 43% of healthcare organisations report high password reset volume as one of their top user authentication challenges, according to Imprivata research. When the workforce can’t seamlessly access what they need when they need it, clinicians escalate to the help desk, reinforcing a cycle where IT teams are forced into reactive support rather than strategic work.
The security risks of password-centered support
Beyond inefficiency, password-centric authentication introduces significant risk by creating shortcuts into critical systems that threat actors exploit, undermining security measures. Research shows that nearly 46% of healthcare organisations report risky password workarounds, and 42% say passwords increase their risk of security incidents or breaches. Each password reset requires a help desk agent to make an identity verification decision, often under pressure and with limited context.
Attackers exploit this reality through social engineering, targeting reset workflows because they frequently bypass stronger, phishing-resistant authentication controls. As reset volume increases, these interactions become harder to monitor, easier to exploit, and more likely to blend in with legitimate requests. In effect, every password reset expands the attack surface by adding another opportunity for unauthorised access through trust-based processes rather than cryptographic security.
Self-service password reset and the power of identity verification
The first step toward helping your support team and providing relief is reducing dependence on the help desk altogether. Self-service password reset, paired with strong identity verification, allows users to regain access without calling support, whether they’re on-site or remote. When identity is verified using passwordless options like biometrics or seamless, secure multifactor authentication (MFA) rather than easily guessed credentials, organisations can lower ticket volumes while strengthening security. This allows clinicians to get back to work faster while alleviating pressure on the help desk.
This shift reflects a broader trend across healthcare IT. Organisations increasingly recognise that advanced passwordless access approaches can resolve long-standing friction and risk created by traditional passwords while delivering meaningful gains in security, usability, and operations. In fact, 40% of healthcare IT leaders cite reduced help desk tickets as one of the most important benefits of passwordless access capabilities.
Read more about the key benefits of passwordless.
Beyond resets: The path to passwordless
While self-service password reset reduces immediate strain, the biggest gains come from addressing the root cause: passwords themselves. Passwordless authentication eliminates the primary driver of reset requests by replacing passwords with biometric, FIDO2-based, and adaptive authentication methods. Clinicians authenticate quickly and securely across shared workstations and mobile devices, while risk-based controls dynamically adjust to provide a secure, personalised experience in the background. With fewer credentials to manage, help desks spend less time on resets and recovery and more time supporting meaningful, strategic IT and security initiatives.
This is why momentum for advanced and passwordless access strategies is accelerating. Today, 85% of healthcare IT and security leaders view passwordless authentication as a vital component of their long-term identity security and access strategy. Passwordless is shifting from a nice-to-have convenience into a foundational shift toward stronger security and more efficient operations.
Freeing up help desk time delivers cross-functional value
When password resets are significantly reduced or eliminated, the help desk can move beyond reactive support and focus on work that helps the entire organisation operate more efficiently. Instead of troubleshooting access issues, IT teams can optimise workflows, streamline system performance, and proactively support clinical operations. By removing unnecessary access friction and reducing identity-related disruptions, clinicians spend less time logging in and more time caring for patients. The result is an IT organisation that strengthens security and actively enables faster, safer, and more consistent patient care across the enterprise.