INTRODUCTION
The Hospital For Sick Children (HSC) is known internationally for its leadership in human resources, including staff training and career development. With a team of more than 5,000 health care professionals and support staff, the hospital’s human resources (HR) department is responsible for maintaining accurate, timely records on applications for employment, compensation histories, insurance coverage and a wide range of other information. Like most large HR systems, the department’s files include a variety of documents from disparate internal and external sources such as resumes, applications, forms, checks, medical declarations and various supporting documents. Maintaining a central imaging and filing system at the hospital has been an ongoing challenge.
BUSINESS CHALLENGES
The hospital’s existing imaging system was out of date, not completely Y2K-compliant, no longer supported by the vendor and not able to integrate new applications easily. The HR department needed a robust, reliable and secure system that would adapt to future requirements and for which there would be ongoing support. HR also wanted to convert and integrate existing data and images into the new system with a view to expanding the program into other areas of administration over time.
SOLUTION
In the late 1990s, the HR department selected the vendor Microdea, a specialist in industry-specific document imaging, management and workflow solutions, to address the Y2K compliance issue. The company went well beyond the short-term problem to create an integrated document imaging system that met all requirements and would grow for the future.
HSC selected Microdea’s Synergize™ electronic document management solution after an extensive competitive analysis because the system enables authorized hospital HR officials to store, retrieve, manipulate and share information internally or externally through a paperless system. The system integrates with legacy HR information and payroll systems and helps convert paper information from the current manual filing process into quickly accessible records that enhance the HR department’s productivity.
"As the premier teaching hospital in North America, Sick Kids proves itself as an innovator in deploying technology," said Michael Ruskin, President, Microdea Inc. “HSC has used the Synergize™ solution over the last three years for record management of Human Resources documentation and our success in that department enabled us to recently deliver a cost effective and user friendly solution for HSC's Electronic Patient Chart initiative,” added Ruskin.
RESULTS
The project was accomplished in 60 days and included complete migration and conversion of the hospital’s existing HR images and database into the new system. As part of the implementation, the vendor also provided a custom add-on to Synergize™ to enable the processing of downloaded files from PeopleSoft. This custom add-on provided integration between information stored in PeopleSoft and the images and data stored in Synergize™; it ensured synchronization of information across both systems. The complete design, implementation, conversion and training were completed in about two months.
"By working with HSC and addressing its unique HR needs, we were able to give the hospital a comprehensive record management solution while leveraging its investment in legacy systems and databases," noted Ruskin. "This has helped the department devote more time to strategic HR issues."
As part of its client-critical consultation process, Microdea’s management and technical team take the time to understand the unique needs of each user and see beyond the short-term challenges. Familiar with industry-specific demands, Microdea delivers document imaging and management solutions for health care facilities of any size and complexity.
About The Hospital for Sick Children
The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids), affiliated with the University of Toronto, is Canada's most research-intensive hospital and the largest centre dedicated to improving children's health in the country. As innovators in child health, SickKids improves the health of children by integrating care, research and teaching.
With a staff that includes professionals from all disciplines of health care and research, SickKids provides the best in complex and specialized care by creating scientific and clinical advancements, sharing knowledge and expertise and championing the development of an accessible, comprehensive and sustainable child health system. For more information, visit: www.sickkids.ca
Click on the link for a Canadian Healthcare Technology article about Sick Kids' adoption of a document imaging system:
'Document Imaging System Consolidates Paper Charts and E-Records'