Helpdesk Software

Using Workflow Software For Problem, Enquiry and Incident Tracking (Help Desk)
Using workflow software for Problem, Incident and Tracking System (Help Desk) helps organisations streamline their business while at the same time improve responsiveness to their customers, employees and other stakeholders.  It is easy to implement, easy to use and delivers real benefits in a simple and accessible way. All of its innovative features and modules have been designed to support management and their employees to do their jobs more easily and effectively.
PIETS is used to document and track any problem or issue reported that originates either internally (from staff members for example) or externally (customers partners etc.). It provides both the originator and  with a current and historical view of the problem status across the entire enterprise and allows each identified problem to be traceable through the  system in terms of resolution and outcome.

BENEFITS OF USING WORKFLOW

The workflow software Problem, Incident and Enquiry Tracking System (PIETS) will enhance the company interacts with their customers and staff, whilst providing a streamlined and cost effective operating environment. Business Process Management can help drive this capability giving significant improvements in service together with providing cost savings at the same time.  Workflow software will meet the following business objectives that have been built into the workflow soft.
Efficient Scalability:
Workflow software has the flexibility and modular design that will ensure continuity of service to existing users while new departments are brought online.

Support Innovation with flexibility.
It is also designed to be used by all levels of staff as as directly by the customer or external body. A variety of different data entry methods are possible with this application. the flexibility to deliver customer focused services while ensuring predefined  standards are adhered to is one of the strengths of using workflow.
Speed of response.
Faster retrieval time for users. Workflow software includes deadline management and escalation.  Any process that exceeds the preferred completion time can be re-prioritized, re-assigned or escalated.  Notification of a deadline will be reported in real-time and also logged for later analysis.
Encourages cross-departmental cooperation and collaborative working.
Workflow software should be able to manage ad-hoc, collaborate style working where required and at the same time ensure that company policies and procedures are followed.
Getting the Right Information to the Right Person at the Right Time.
Moving information and data around the organisation in a timely, secure and reliable manner is a key benefit in using workflow software.  Within the System there an numerous different data types and sources, this data has to be consolidated and presented to the correct representative in a manner that suites them.

Medical Software Solutions

Making an Appointment and Doctor Scheduling.
An appointment to see the doctors and consultants is taken care by the Hospital Information Portal that enables the Front Office staff to fix appointments for the doctors in all the available departments on a daily basis or over a period of time. The appointment can be direct by telephone, e-mail or SMS.
The Scheduler  gives the visibility of the appointments fixed in different views that enables the vision of all appointments by the doctor, support staff as well as the management team.

Patient Registration

Electronic Patient Record
The Electronic Patient Record Module (EPR) unifies information related to the patient in an electronic form, this information can be displayed in different views, graphical, in tables etc. to help care givers provide the best service to the patient. The Electronic Patient Record is integrated with other Hospital Information Systems to provide a single view on all information relating to the diagnosis, treatment and after care of the patient.  The life indications – blood pressure, pulse etc. – are regularly and automatically entered into the forms.
Historic information can be quickly retrieved for comparative studies. Review functionality allows important information to be combined into a single table.
The Electronic Patient Record can be exported into standard formats, PDF, JPG for inclusion into other platforms or general distribution.

The E-Form becomes and Electronic Patient Record

Patient Diagnosis
The decision making process involved in patient Diagnosis uses both the form and the route.  Any automated decision making can be bypassed or changed at any stage by the care giver.  The care giver must explain the reason for changing the diagnostic process by adding a comment into the form.
There is a tick list to act as a reminder for the user.  The case cannot be forwarded to surgery for example until all boxes have been ticked.
If more information is required to make a decision this can be requested by a tick box.
Behind each tick we can configure different rules, for example schedule an appointment for the patient to take a test or look up existing data from another system.

Collecting the data required to make a diagnosis

The form can then manipulate the data and display it in different ways to help with the diagnosis. Workflow can then make decisions based on this data.  For example suggesting the course of treatment or allocation the case to specialists.

Using different ways to present the data to help the diagnosis

The data from many of the laboratory systems will be entered directly into the form.
Image documents can also be added as part of the form.  This may have advantages later if it is required to view the case with a mobile device, PDA, tablet or Mobile Phone.
A user can attach a document at any time to the form. Documents can be viewed by clicking on the file name.  This will then call an application on the PC, Word for example or a general purpose viewer.

Information in all formats can be displayed

Progress of the treatment can be tracked

ADDITIONAL MODULES

In Patient Support
The Electronic Patient Record contains very detailed information, this is used by many of the support staff to improve resource management and information flow around the Hospital.

Bed Management
The Staff Member can select the bed to allocate to the patient, also if the patient is to be transferred the staff member can select the original and new bed and initiate the transfer.
Reports are available showing the overall view of the occupancy and free beds in the hospital.
Pharmacy and Drug Management
The drug requirements of each patient in the ward are combined and sent to the relevant care givers and pharmacist.  These requirements are also linked to the stock and inventory module described below.
Food and Dietary Services
The Food and dieting requirements of the patient, through proper suggestions based on the Doctor’s   and Nurse’s input into the Electronic Patient Record are forwarded to the catering staff of the hospital.

FINANCIAL MODULES

Patient Billing
All the information relating to a patients treatment are itemised on a single report for accurate billing.  This information includes all treatment, care, drugs and laundry services.
Procurement and Stock Management
The Hospital Information Management System offers complete visibility of the supply chain from the sourcing and delivery of products and drugs through to the storage and delivery to point of care, as well as providing a platform for supplier performance management and procurement approval making.
The Procurement and Stock management modules can be deployed independently of one another or plugged together allowing data to be transferred from one module to another. Data can also be captured from all the systems that are used throughout the multiple organisations in the Supply Chain, including manual and ad-hoc applications this is then presented in a process-centric view.
Order management
The  Order Management module provides you with a definitive version of all orders by managing their distribution, the approval, and tracking any amendments.

Inventory Management
This shows the total history of the stock of the particular item stock,  when it is being purchased and when it is issued and what is the cost value of the item, thus keeping track of all the transactions of that particular item
Quality Control
The Quality Control module enables you to manage QC and compliance anywhere within the Hospital supply chain.

Supplier Management
The Supplier Management module gives the hospital a structured approach to storing supplier details and recording audit and performance measurements. You will have real-time visibility of supplier exceptions, enabling you to make informed decisions that ensure availability of the best priced and highest quality goods. It also increases collaboration with trading partners. It creates the opportunity for effective end-user relationship with suppliers under centralised control.
Delivery Module
The delivery management module is designed to manage goods in transit and delivery to remote locations with the procurement managed centrally.
E-Tendering
E-tendering includes Supplier Management as described above, as well as the management of the Request for Information and Request for Proposal processes. This delivers transparent selection through the entire tendering process with added document security for supplier reassurance. The continuous measurement include the hard benefits such as price savings and process cost reductions.  e-tendering can also deliver many soft benefits, including adherence to policy and legal compliance.   This module also delivers access to key management information to support decision making, capture and analysis of the organisations spend behaviour, better monitoring and control, compliance and contractual arrangements of sourced products with approved suppliers and to the process of ordering these.
Document Management
Document Management ensures that the correct documents are available to the correct people at the correct time thus avoiding any delays and bottlenecks in the Supply Chain. The module manages the despatch and receipt of documentation and provides a portal for the storage of scanned documents. Users are alerted to late documentation enabling action to be taken before a delay occurs.

Hospital Information Systems

The workflow based Hospital Information System will enhance the patient’s experience, whilst providing a streamlined and cost effective operating environment for you, the Healthcare provider. Workflow can help drive this capability giving significant patient benefits together with providing significant cost savings at the same time.  Workflow software will deliver a reduction in overheads and improve patient service and meets the following business objectives.
Support Innovation with flexibility.
Allowing the staff, in particular the primary care givers, such as physicians, nurses, social workers, and others, in inpatient and outpatient settings to deliver patient focused services while ensuring predefined  standards are adhered to. It is also designed to be used by medical and coding clerks. A variety of different data entry methods are possible with this software.
Speed of response.
Faster retrieval time for clinicians. One of the biggest business issues facing hospitals today is bed turnaround time. Timely discharge of patients not only translates into available beds for new inpatients that need immediate care, but also means revenue for the organization. If beds are not turned around quickly, hospitals must divert new patients, which leads to a dissatisfied patient population and lost revenue, something few healthcare enterprises can afford. Analysis shows that if turnaround time could be shortened by just a few hours, hospitals could realize millions in additional annual income.  Workflow software includes deadline management and escalation.  Any process that exceeds the preferred completion time can be re-prioritised, re-assigned or escalated.  Notification of a deadline will be reported in real-time and also logged for later analysis.
Encourages cross-departmental cooperation and collaborative working.
Workflow Software can manage ad-hoc, collaborate style working where required and at the same time ensure that company policies and procedures are followed.
Getting the Right Information to the Right Person at the Right Time.
Moving information and data around the hospital in a timely, secure and reliable manner is a key benefit in using the Hospital Information System.  Within the Hospital Information System there an numerous different data types and sources, this data has to be consolidated and presented to the correct care giver in a manner that suites them.

Using Workflow to Manage Hospital Staffing

Why you would use workflow in a hospital
Patient Service
•    Create a patient and care giver centric operating model with focus on patient/doctor relationship.
•    Provide all care giving staff with all the required information to deliver patient satisfaction
Cost
•    Delivering high levels of productivity and efficiency
•    Maximise utilization of resources, mitigating headcount pressures
•    Faster-time to-production for inexperienced new hires
•    Effective management of different phases of patient care
Control
•    Elimination of operating errors
•    Remove inconsistency in service and procedures
•    Monitoring and reporting of the operation with proactive controls and escalation.
•    Fully auditable compliance to industry regulation built into processes
Capability
•    Comprehensive and transparent reporting of performance metrics
•    Enhance staff capabilities and reduce attrition
•    Enable more effective targeting of spend, benefits quantification
•    Incentives for process improvement and operating model evolution
Improvements in the process of seamlessly moving patients, information and resources throughout the healthcare continuum are at the heart of the partnerships between The Hospital Information System and healthcare providers.

Freedom of Information Act System

Handling the Freedom of Information Act Requests With Workflow Software
Main Points of the Act

A general right of access to information held by public authorities in the course of carrying out their public functions, subject to certain conditions and exemptions;
In most cases where information is exempted from disclosure there is a duty on public authorities to disclose where, in the view of the public authority, the public interest in disclosure outweighs the public interest in maintaining the exemption in question;
A new office of Information Commissioner and a new Information Tribunal, with wide powers to enforce the rights created;
A duty imposed on public authorities to adopt a scheme for the publication of information. The schemes, which must be approved by the Commissioner, will specify the classes of information the authority intends to publish, the manner of publication and whether the information is available to the public free of charge or on payment of a fee.
Overview of a Solution

• streamlines and automates the FoI request process
• tracks time dependant tasks to meet request timeline
• allows tracking and escalation of work
• minimizes risk of lost documentation
• provides a management system for complete & accurate records
• handles correspondence using e-mail and word processing templates
• provides consistency across the organization
• handles data capture and retention
• ensures regulations complied with
• provides detailed management information and Year End Statistical Report
• generates detailed billing and costing reports
• authorisation processes for the publishing of public documents
• allocation of request to relevant officer based on their role
• automated escalation up the management chain
• System can be expanded to cover general complaints or data protection issues

e-Tendering and e-Auction

Using Workflow Software as part of an e-procurement and e-Government strategy
e-Tendering is often perceived as the least risky e-government initiative, with e-auction offering the fastest return, these can be piloted with minimum commercial consequences.
One of the benefits of e-purchasing lie in reduced transaction costs and better compliance to pre-negotiated contracts. Most e-tendering solutions exploits internet technology and business process management Software to enable Government departments to arrive at true market prices for direct materials, capital goods and services.
e-auction and e-tendering workflow systems contains four major modules:
1)    Supplier management.  Increases collaboration with trading partners. It creates the opportunity for effective end-user relationship with suppliers under centralised control.
2)    RFx process management. Delivers transparent selection through the entire tendering process with added document security for supplier reassurance.
3)    Online Auction. For a fast return on investment, online auctions can drastically reduce the cost of goods and services.

4)    Reporting and Monitoring. Continuous measurement of the effectiveness of any key performance management.  These measurements include the hard benefits such as price savings and process cost reductions.  e-tendering can also deliver many soft benefits, including adherence to policy and legal compliance.
The business case for  e-tendering and e-auction Solutions is based on the ability to achieve year-on-year reductions in purchase prices and savings from lower process costs.  E-tendering and e-auction as an element of an e-Procurement strategy is part of the growing need to move staff from the back office to improve front line services.

E-PROCUREMENT BENEFITS INCLUDE:

Cost of Goods and Services
Savings made in the cost of goods or services using technology as an effective tool to support price setting in the tendering process and then driving contract compliance. Average Savings of 5%-15% are common.
Process Efficiency.
Benefits accrued from reduced time spent in administration, elimination of duplicate process steps, internally and within suppliers, automation of manual low value tasks from the process. Process costs can be reduced by as much as 40%-50%.
Service Improvement
Reduced process times to improve responsiveness to customers and empowerment of staff to enable them to do their job better. Cycle time reductions of 50%-75% have been achieved.
Visibility of Spend
Access to key management information to support decision making, capture and analysis of the organisations spend behaviour, better monitoring and control, compliance and contractual arrangements of sourced products with approved suppliers and to the process of ordering these.

Loan and Mortgage Application and Approval Process

Workflow software provides a solution that will:
Streamline and automate the Loan/Mortgage application process
Allow automatic interaction with Credit Bureau to improve turnaround time
Integrate with fax, e-mail and/or SMS to send automatic messages to clients in response to opening of accounts
Allow tracking and escalation of work to meet service level agreements
Completeness checks for documents – minimize risk involved with lost documentation
Provide a management system that will maintain a complete and accurate client file
Make provision for detailed management information regarding work throughput, productivity, service level agreements, etc.

Customer Contact Points

The documents associated with the applicant can be attached to the form and can be viewed when work has been delivered to a member of staff by the workflow system.
Distribution and Approval
The Approval process has can be assigned centrally or independently by each user, the types of approval include;

1.    Sign up
Signatories can be from any level within the organizational hierarchy.
2.    Countersign:
The rules for countersigning a document can be different for each process e.g. new application  or renewals.
Rules for approval can be different for every document type.  E.g. Application form, correspondence etc.
Rules for approval can be different according to the position within the company of the user.  An application being processed by a manager will need different approval than a team worker.

The Approval Process

The Document Control Process
Prior to documents being accepted into the Document Archive they are automatically validated to ensure amongst other things that:
The uploading application is authorised.
That all key document attributes are populated correctly.
That the case is complete with all supporting information.
The DCC ensures high quality information reaches the Document Archive without the need for human intervention.
This fully automated process saves time and dramatically increases quality control.  Changes to the DCC processes are easily made by the user with clear and concise forms, no technical training is required.
Management Reports
The system will log all processes that are carried out in the system and deliver a report on request.
The data from these logs can be viewed graphically by authorised users or the administrator.  For real time monitoring of status of particular tasks users can use the search feature.  The red icons show the the progress of the case through the process, showing where the task is currently waiting and which steps the case went through.
The data is stored as a table of numbers, that can be exported for analysis or presentation by a third party product.  The information can also be shown in the form of a graph.