CASE STUDIES

iSOFT

iSOFT partners with Premier IT to provide a bespoke training solution

In conjunction with iSOFT Group plc, Premier IT provides a dedicated team of trainers and a management infrastructure to deliver bespoke electronic patient records system training to 10,000 staff at 44 Nuffield Hospitals across the UK.

"We needed a training partner who could align training resources to our existing training team and ensure that Nuffield Hospitals optimised their return on investment. Premier IT helped us to achieve our goals", says Kathryn Holt, the Project Manager, responsible for the project.

Nuffield Hopsitals had chosen iSOFT's Independent Patient (i.IP) software as the comprehensive electronic patient records system. This software solution provides a complete information solution for clinical, administrative and financial users in the independent health sector. Prior to implementation, Nuffield Hospitals recognised the opportunity to exploit the system functionality further and identified a number of ways to improve upon their existing business processes in order to achieve maximum benefit from new functionality offered by the software.

Opportunities

• Improve existing business processes to align with the capabilities of i.Independent Patient
• Increase end user knowledge of business processes and i.Independent Patient
• Share knowledge of processes and system use

Solution

• Define the business processes to incorporate best practice improvements

• Develop the training approach by creating role-based training materials around the business processes which maximise the use of i.Independent Patient

• Deliver training to enhance user adoption and create optimum use of i.Independent Patient

Benefits

• Encourage best business practices to the user base
• Improve user understanding of system capability
• Better align training to users' job requirements

Overview
In order to improve the operating effectiveness of the patient records system, Nuffield Hospitals engaged iSOFT to work with subject matter experts to refine existing best practices and align processes with the enhanced capabilities of their new system.

Premier IT worked closely with the iSOFT project team in documenting and reviewing the refined processes and then create training materials that incorporated the refined processes and effective instruction in the use of i.Independent Patient. In conjunction with the iSOFT team, Premier IT undertook additional training related activities such as product testing, data preparation and helpdesk support. The combined iSOFT/Premier IT team designed, developed and delivered role-based training programmes to all levels of staff at Nuffield Hospitals nationwide.

The Challenge
The combined project team was required to undertake a detailed analysis of the comprehensive processes and extensive system capability. The outputs were then required to be translated into a bespoke training programme. "i.Independent Patient is relatively easy to use and actual application training is relatively minimal for a product of this nature," says Kathryn Holt. "To ensure customers maximise the benefits from our products the key objective in a training programme is in adapting the processes within an organisation and users need training in how the system should be applied to their day to day work with minimal impact". The software implementation plan and associated training programme was aggressive and had to be achieved in a short time timescale.

The Solution
Premier IT submitted a competitive tender and was chosen to do the work based on its ability to translate business specific workflow processes into a training solution. Premier IT also had a proven track record in managing bespoke projects of a complex nature. The course developers not only possessed the relevant industry experience but are accredited IT trainers employed full time by Premier IT.

"iSOFT and Premier IT provided us with a quality training programme from which we can leverage our investment in the iSOFT healthcare system." Said Chris Cook, IT Director Nuffield Hospitals.

About iSOFT
iSOFT is an international software applications company - dedicated to healthcare and proud to be at the very forefront of the new revolution in healthcare information management. iSOFT product development is characterised by an understanding of our markets and an innovative spirit that ensures our customers keep pace with technological advances and service initiatives. The Company's applications are currently installed in the U.K., Australia, Ireland, Germany, the Netherlands, Scandinavia, Singapore, China and New Zealand.

For further information on iSOFT or its products, please visit http://www.isoftplc.com