HomeKnowledge BaseGetting Started
Getting Started

Understanding User Roles and Permissions

A comprehensive guide to system admins, org admins, technicians, and client roles.

MedCompliance Team
8 min read
Updated January 10, 2025

Understanding User Roles and Permissions

The MedCompliance platform uses a role-based access control (RBAC) system to ensure users only see what's relevant to their job and can only perform actions appropriate to their responsibilities.

The Four Core Roles

1. System Admin (Platform Owner)

Who: MedCompliance staff and platform administrators

Access Level: Unrestricted platform-wide access

Permissions:

  • ✅ Manage all organizations
  • ✅ Create/delete any user
  • ✅ View all data across organizations
  • ✅ Configure platform settings
  • ✅ Access system health monitoring
  • ✅ Manage billing for all organizations
  • ✅ Configure SLA policies
  • ✅ Create custom workflows
  • Dashboard View:

  • Total organizations
  • Total users across platform
  • System uptime and performance
  • Cross-organization analytics
  • Use Cases:

  • Onboarding new healthcare facilities
  • Troubleshooting user issues
  • Platform maintenance
  • Billing management

  • 2. Organization Admin (Facility Manager)

    Who: Hospital administrators, compliance officers, facility managers

    Access Level: Full access within their organization only

    Permissions:

  • ✅ Manage users in their organization
  • ✅ Create/delete technicians and clients
  • ✅ Schedule inspections
  • ✅ View all organization reports
  • ✅ Manage subscription and billing
  • ✅ Configure organization settings
  • ✅ Create inspection schedules
  • ✅ Access multi-facility dashboard (if multiple locations)
  • ❌ Cannot access other organizations' data
  • Dashboard View:

  • Organization users count
  • Pending appointments
  • Recent inspections
  • Compliance status
  • Use Cases:

  • Hiring a new service technician
  • Scheduling quarterly inspections
  • Downloading compliance reports for Joint Commission
  • Managing facility subscriptions

  • 3. Technician (Field Service)

    Who: NFPA 99 certified technicians, field inspectors

    Access Level: Task-focused, limited to assigned work

    Permissions:

  • ✅ View assigned inspections
  • ✅ Upload inspection reports
  • ✅ Update task status (pending → completed)
  • ✅ Access client facility information
  • ✅ View inspection history for their clients
  • ❌ Cannot create users
  • ❌ Cannot delete inspections
  • ❌ Cannot see unassigned tasks
  • Dashboard View:

  • Assigned tasks count
  • Upcoming inspections
  • Completed this month
  • Quick upload button
  • Use Cases:

  • Checking daily inspection schedule
  • Uploading completed inspection report
  • Viewing facility equipment history
  • Updating task completion status

  • 4. Client (Healthcare Facility)

    Who: Hospital staff, facility operators, compliance coordinators

    Access Level: View-only for their facility's data

    Permissions:

  • ✅ Request new inspections
  • ✅ View compliance reports
  • ✅ Download certificates
  • ✅ Track inspection history
  • ✅ Update facility profile
  • ❌ Cannot see other facilities' data
  • ❌ Cannot upload reports (technicians do this)
  • ❌ Cannot manage users
  • Dashboard View:

  • Next scheduled inspection
  • Total inspections completed
  • Available reports
  • Compliance status
  • Use Cases:

  • Requesting emergency inspection
  • Downloading reports for regulatory audit
  • Checking compliance status before Joint Commission visit
  • Viewing inspection history
  • Permission Matrix

    |--------|-------------|-----------|------------|--------|

    Changing User Roles

    As a System Admin:

    1. Go to Admin → Users → Manage

    2. Click "Edit" on any user

    3. Select new role from dropdown

    4. Click "Save Changes"

    As an Org Admin:

    1. Go to Dashboard → Users

    2. Find the user to modify

    3. Click "Edit"

    4. Change role (within your organization only)

    5. Save changes

    Important Notes:

  • ⚠️ Changing a role is immediate
  • ⚠️ User's dashboard will update on next login
  • ⚠️ Some features require specific subscription tiers
  • Security Best Practices

    For Admins:

    1. Principle of Least Privilege - Only assign roles users need

    2. Regular Audits - Review user list quarterly

    3. Remove Inactive Users - Deactivate users who leave

    4. Strong Passwords - Enforce 8+ character passwords with complexity

    For All Users:

    1. Don't Share Accounts - Each person needs their own login

    2. Enable 2FA - Use two-factor authentication (Enterprise)

    3. Log Out on Shared Computers - Always log out

    4. Report Suspicious Activity - Contact support immediately

    Audit Logging

    All actions are logged for compliance:

  • User created/deleted
  • Role changes
  • Password resets
  • Inspection uploads
  • Report downloads
  • View Audit Logs:

  • System Admins: Admin → Audit Logs
  • Org Admins: Dashboard → Activity Log
  • Troubleshooting

    Problem: User can't access a feature

    Solution: Check their role and subscription tier. Some features are Enterprise-only.

    Problem: User sees data from wrong organization

    Solution: Verify organizationId is correctly set. Contact support.

    Problem: Can't create users

    Solution: Only System Admins and Org Admins can create users.


    Questions? Contact support@medcompliance.com or visit our [troubleshooting guide](/knowledge-base/troubleshooting).

    Was this article helpful?

    Let us know if you have any questions or feedback!

    MedCompliance - NFPA 99 Service Management Platform