Florida helps care for vulnerable citizens with InterSystems` Ensemble

The Florida Department of Children and Families (DCF) has become one of the first companies to commit to InterSystems` new Ensemble integration platform. By seamlessly integrating the information in DCF`s OneFamily application series, Ensemble will enable the agency to ensure that clients throughout the state receive the best possible level of service and care delivery from their community-based providers.

InterSystems develops and markets database and integration software solutions for ISVs and IT organisations worldwide.

DCF serves a state-wide population with 16 agency programmes designed to provide care and support for Florida`s most vulnerable citizens, including abused and neglected children, the elderly and disabled, and those who are physically and mentally challenged or substance-dependent.

"Information is critical to enabling these clients to receive optimal services delivery from their community care-givers," says Ben Harris, deputy secretary operations and information technology for DCF. "That information is located on multiple disparate databases accessed by 59 different systems used by DCF programs. Our goal is to integrate the information in those systems in a composite portal application that provides a single view of all relevant data about an individual client. With Ensemble, we have the technology needed to reach that objective faster."

"When we learned of DCF`s vision for this integration project, we recognised that Ensemble offers the full range of capabilities needed to make that vision a reality in the shortest possible time frame," says Paul Grabscheid, InterSystems VP of Strategic Planning. "DCF chose to be an early adopter of Ensemble and is now beginning to realise the benefits of its creative approach."

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Leveraging Ensemble`s functionality, DCF developers created a test bed integrating information from five systems and went live in just 90 days. "It`s already evident that the single view of client data and the ability to quickly create reports across multiple systems will enable us to take a holistic approach to care for our clients," says Harris.

DCF is mounting an aggressive development and deployment schedule that calls for integrating information from at least five additional systems every 90 days. "We looked at multiple integration solutions," notes Harris. "Ensemble uniquely offers the all-in-one solution we needed to integrate information and applications, create reports across our 59 systems and leverage new technologies that could easily combine legacy information with new screens."

DCF also expects to achieve significant cost savings from using the Ensemble-based integration architecture, says Harris. "For example, one system we`re integrating uses an Oracle database. By using Ensemble, we`ll be able to cut support requirements typically required by legacy relational technology by half and achieve a 50% savings for some applications," he says.

"It`s evident that the DCF integration project is achieving success from the combination of rapid development, fast integration and full-spectrum functionality provided by Ensemble," says Henry Adams, InterSystems country manager for SA. "We`re seeing similar positive results being replicated among multiple early adopters of Ensemble. This provides concrete proof of the results that can be achieved by a committed IT staff working with the right integration technology."