2-page Partner Case Study - Posted 4/7/2009

Views: 172

Rate This Evidence:

System C Healthcare

Healthcare Solutions Provider Reduces Development Time and Costs by 50 Per Cent

System C Healthcare is a leading healthcare IT solutions provider in the United Kingdom (U.K.). In 2008, the company upgraded its product, Medway Sigma, using an integrated suite of technologies from Microsoft. By participating in the Microsoft® Partner Programme (MSPP), the company reduced its development time and costs by 50 per cent, and created an easy-to-use product that benefits thousands of patients.

Business Needs

More than 80 per cent of its employees have healthcare backgrounds and the company itself has 15 years’ experience in delivering successful IT solutions to the NHS and other health organisations in the U.K.

In 1993, System C developed its own electronic patient record (EPR) and patient administration system (PAS) called Medway. It was originally created using the C++ programming language, but incremental improvements were made over time. These were created with disparate technologies, including Java, Linux, and UNIX and with products from vendors such as Business Objects, Oracle, and Microsoft.

With the support of Microsoft, we have not only created an advanced solution 50 per cent faster than previously possible, but we can use the latest technological innovations to continually upgrade it. Ian Denley Chief Executive System C

However, to meet the changing needs of administrative and clinical users in today’s healthcare environment, System C decided to completely rewrite all elements of the solution. Ian Denley, Chief Executive at System C, says: “Although our product was robust and functional, it was eventually operating on some outdated software. We made the decision to completely redevelop the application, and create a new product based on technology from one vendor.”

A major priority for Denley and his team was to adopt a service-oriented architecture that could be built quickly and at low cost, while also having the capability to incorporate regular updates. “We needed to develop a scalable solution with the potential to adapt to the changing needs of healthcare professionals throughout the country,” says Denley.

Solution

In 2006, Denley and his IT team reviewed the market for integrated development environments. After extensive evaluation, they decided to work with the Microsoft .NET Framework and participated in the MSPP. Through this programme, System C could work with Microsoft engineers who provided expert advice on how to use Microsoft technologies and create new applications.

During the evaluation, they completed a two-week proof of concept that showed developers how to work with the technology and offered resources, strategy design, and assistance in developing the user interface. The quality and quantity of work accomplished by System C, with support from Microsoft, impressed Denley: “Even before the proof of concept, our Java developers were getting excited about using the .NET Framework. We realised there was a lot of innovation going on within Microsoft and we wanted to be part of it,” says Denley. “Then, what put it ahead of all the competition was how much we achieved during the proof of concept. That left us in no doubt that the Framework could help us be more agile and creative.”
 
In 2006, System C started development of the product, called Medway Sigma, with the ongoing assistance of the MSPP. Throughout this process it used a number of invaluable resources such as an Application Design Consultant (ADC) who became an integral part of the team and made valuable recommendations on the overall usability and construction of the solution.

The service-oriented architecture was deployed in the first hospitals in 2008. It performs all the daily tasks that doctors and administrators need to run a hospital from displaying personal and hospital work schedules to collecting and managing patient information.

System C is still part of the MSPP and works with the ADC to innovate in areas such as touch technology in Windows® 7, and business intelligence. Its ongoing relationship with the Partner Account Manager also supports the business to increase profitably faster in the U.K. and overseas.

Benefits

By working with Microsoft, System C has created a robust and feature-rich application that helps healthcare professionals improve patient care and safety. Denley says: “With the support of Microsoft, we have not only created an advanced solution 50 per cent faster than previously possible, but we can use the latest technological innovations to continually upgrade it. Where we used to have database administrators, programmers, and business intelligence specialists, we now have multi-skilled Microsoft professionals.”

• Eases user adoption. Many healthcare professionals are familiar with Microsoft applications and quickly learn to navigate around the interface with little training. This is important within the medical industry because there are many temporary employees.
• Complies with industry standards. System C subscribes to the Microsoft Health Common User Interface (CUI) Web site. This provides regular releases of Design Guidance and Toolkit controls, which help numerous independent software vendors develop safer and consistent user interfaces.
• Speeds time to market. Developers at System C can create products at least 50 per cent faster than previously. This is because they can build on the same programming model without extra training and get valuable support from Microsoft.
• Lowers cost of development. By using only Microsoft technologies, System C retained its core team of developers, without employing a larger group of specialists. This, together with a faster development time, reduced the company’s expenses by 50 per cent.
• Enhances potential for innovation. System C introduces three major upgrades a year by using new software and enhancements that are constantly produced by Microsoft to improve its own products. For example, Denley plans to use voice recognition capabilities in Windows Vista®, as well as multitouch capabilities in Windows 7.
• Benefits from Microsoft Partner Programme. System C can work with Microsoft resources such as the ADC and Partner Account Manager. This helps with both product and business development, allowing System C to increase profitably faster.

This case study is for informational purposes only. MICROSOFT MAKES NO WARRANTIES, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, IN THIS SUMMARY.

Document published April 2009