Final Exam

Zhanel Mukhtarova, Aidana Tugelbai, Tamirlan Nakayev

Group: ITM-2203
Department of IT Management, Astana IT University
Business Process Engineering course
Mohamed Ibrahim
February 26, 2024
Case 4
ABC Healthcare Solutions is a healthcare technology company specializing in developing
and deploying electronic health record (EHR) systems. The company is experiencing
challenges in the deployment and update processes for its EHR software. There have been
delays in releases, and clients have reported difficulties during the implementation phase.
ABC Healthcare Solutions is seeking your expertise to streamline its software deployment
and update processes.

As-Is

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 "As-Is" process involves mapping out the existing software deployment processes at ABC
Healthcare Solutions. According to the BPMN, 2 main problems and their possible reasons
were identified in the As-Is Process:

1)Delays in Releases
Reason: lack of thorough risk assessment and mitigation. The existing processes lack a
comprehensive risk assessment and risk mitigation strategy, leading to potential unexpected
challenges during development, testing, and deployment. This can be the reason of
insufficient release planning, resulting in delays in releases.

2) Difficulties Incurred by Clients

Reason: The current processes may not involve customers sufficiently especially during
testing, leading to challenges during the implementation phase. If clients are not actively
involved in testing, issues or usability problems may occur after the software has been
deployed. This results in challenges during the implementation phase when clients encounter
unexpected difficulties.

Value Stream Mapping

VOC (Voice Of Customer)

The customer of this process

Healthcare organizations, hospitals, clinics, practitioners and other healthcare
professionals using EHR systems developed by the company.

Customer response to the discontinuance of supplies

1. Delays in receiving software updates and new features, resulting in stagnant
functionality and potential security vulnerabilities.
2. Difficulties in implementing and integrating EHR systems, resulting in reduced
operational efficiencies and disruptions in the delivery of healthcare services.
3. Decreased confidence in the company's ability to meet customer needs, which may
lead to dissatisfaction and seeking alternative solutions.

Customer research and feedback materials

1. Surveys
Conducting surveys to gather feedback on software deployment and upgrade
processes, as well as overall satisfaction with EHR systems.
2. Social Media Monitoring
Monitor social media platforms for mentions, comments, and feedback.

Identify Process Activities and Boundaries

SIPOC

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Supplier
Software developers, quality assurance teams, project managers, and support staff.

Inputs
1. Software updates
New features, bug fixes, and enhancements developed by the software
development team.
2. Client requirements
Specific needs and preferences communicated by the healthcare organizations
or clients utilizing the EHR systems.
3. Test data
Data sets used for testing the software updates and deployments to ensure
quality and compatibility.
4. Deployment environment
Information about the infrastructure, servers, and network configurations
where the EHR systems will be deployed.
5. Documentation
Instructions, manuals, and technical documentation related to the software
deployment process.

Process
1. Design
Write the design
Document the design specifications and architecture for the software
updates.
Create the test plan
Develop a plan for testing the software changes to ensure they meet the
requirements.
Perform an impact analysis
Assess the potential effects of the proposed changes on the existing
system and stakeholders.
2. Build
Develop software
Implement the changes and new features as per the design
specifications.
Write documentation
Create user manuals, release notes, and other documentation to
accompany the software updates.
Create test specifications
Define the test cases and scenarios to validate the functionality of the
software changes.

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 3. Test
Testing
Write test reports
Document the results of the testing process.
Release software
Deploy the software updates to the production environment for
implementation.
4. Implement
Acceptance testing
Conduct testing with end-users to ensure the software meets their
requirements and expectations.
Implementation in Production
Deploy the software updates to the live environment, following best
practices and minimizing downtime.

Outputs
1. Software upgrades
2. Customer satisfaction
Clients have expressed gratitude for the effectiveness and quality of the
software upgrades and deployment.

Customer
The hospitals, clinics, and healthcare organizations that use the EHR systems created
by ABC Healthcare Solutions are the clients of the software deployment and upgrade
process. They obtain the installed software upgrades and take use of the enhanced
functionality.

Workflow

Where does the work come from?

● Internal teams. Such as the software development, quality assurance, project

management and support teams at ABC Healthcare Solutions.
● External clients. Healthcare organizations, hospitals, clinics that use EHR systems
developed by ABC Healthcare Solutions.

Who sent the orders that triggered the process?

● Internal Project Managers. Who prioritize and allocate resources based on internal
initiatives and strategic objectives.
● External Clients. Who submit requests based on their specific needs, preferences, or
challenges encountered while using the EHR systems.

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Value-Added (VA) Activities
● Creating improvements and new features in response to customer needs.
● Testing software to make sure it satisfies customer requirements and quality
standards.
● Applying upgrades and modifications that immediately increase the EHR software's
usability or functioning from the viewpoint of the user.

Necessary Non-Value-Added (NNVA) Activities

● Compliance to legal and regulatory obligations for the security and privacy of
healthcare data.
● Reporting and documentation needed to fulfill accreditation or regulatory
requirements (such as FDA guidelines for medical software).
● Staff education and training to guarantee adherence to industry standards and best
practices.

Non-Value-Added (NVA) Activities

● These are jobs that don't directly enhance the user experience or the EHR software.
● Rework or fixes are required as a result of software flaws or faults that could have
been avoided with improved quality assurance procedures.
● Waiting periods or delays brought on by ineffective departmental or team
coordination, handoffs, or communication.

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Observations and Insights

1. Сomplexity of Healthcare Technology

The healthcare technology sector, particularly electronic health record (EHR) systems,
operates within a highly regulated and complex environment. This complexity
introduces various challenges in the deployment and update processes, such as
ensuring compliance with regulatory obligations and addressing security and privacy
concerns.
2. Customer-Centric Approach
To improve efficiency and provide high-quality care, healthcare institutions mostly
rely on EHR systems. Software update delays and implementation challenges have a
direct influence on patient care and operational effectiveness, which erodes customer
faith in the company's offerings. Thus, in order to retain customer pleasure and
loyalty, VA operations that directly improve user experience—like developing new
features and upgrades based on input from customers—must be given top priority.
3. Assurance of Quality and Testing
Strict quality assurance and testing procedures are necessary to guarantee the
dependability, security, and functioning of EHR systems, given the important nature
of healthcare technology. On the other hand, the existence of NNVA actions
pertaining to rework or repairs indicates possible areas where quality assurance
protocols should be strengthened.
4. Ongoing Enhancement
The value of continuous process improvement initiatives is shown by the Value
Stream Mapping research. Through the identification and resolution of inefficiencies,
waste elimination, and workflow optimization, ABC Healthcare Solutions may
improve its software deployment and update procedures, therefore providing clients
with higher value.

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To-Be

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 “To-Be” process involves mapping out future activities that ABC Healthcare Solutions
plans to do, considering existing problems and proposing possible solutions. As identified
from the “As-Is” process, there were 2 main problems: delays in releases and difficulties
incurred by clients during the implementation phase. The above BPMN proposes possible
solutions to these issues:

Risk Assessment and Mitigation

Including a comprehensive deployment planning phase that incorporates risk assessment
helps identify potential challenges and uncertainties associated with the deployment process.
This proactive approach allows to develop strategies to mitigate risks, allocate resources
effectively, and establish realistic timelines, reducing the possibility of delays in releases.

Customer Involvement in Testing

Actively involving customers in the testing process, particularly in User Acceptance Testing
(UAT), ensures that the software aligns with their expectations and needs. Clients provide
valuable feedback, helping to identify and address issues before the software is deployed.

Customer Support Team Engagement

Establishing a dedicated customer support team ensures ongoing engagement with clients.
This team serves as a direct point of contact for clients, addressing queries, providing
assistance, and resolving issues promptly. This proactive engagement enhances customer
satisfaction and reduces post-deployment challenges.

Roadmap
In the case of software implementation in healthcare, such a methodology becomes critical as
it addresses the specific requirements of this sector such as data privacy, regulatory
compliance, etc.

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This roadmap summarizes the milestones that form the basis of implementation, as well as
the statuses of implementation and deadlines.

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