Solution overview
Partner profiles
Medi-Clinic is a private hospital industry leader. It is an innovator and provider of trusted, high quality services. Its aim was to be SA`s first e-commerce enabled healthcare provider. System design and implementation were entrusted to Dimension Data i-Commerce Services. This DiData unit transforms traditional businesses into interactive e-businesses through the externalisation of business computing.
Situation
Essentially, the brief from Medi-Clinic was `excellence fast`. Being first to market is crucial for an industry leader - but so is the reputation for quality you can trust. In 10 weeks Medi-Clinic took on the mantle of Africa`s first e-enabled resource for all private sector healthcare communities.
DiData i-Commerce Services specified Microsoft technology and used MS Consulting Services to help facilitate high-speed, high-reliability deployment.
Scalability and extendibility were key. So was security. Confidentiality is critical in this sector. Functionality had to be such that virtual bridges could be created to all stakeholders - doctors, patients and healthcare funders.
Solution
An ASP (Application Service Provider) solution was suggested based on hosted infrastructure. Brand new MCIS 2.5 technology was exploited. Individual components included Site Server (Commerce Edition), MCIS News, MCIS Mail, MCIS Administration & Provisioning Services and MCIS Chat. A DiData-written code helped create a wizard that enabled doctors to achieve their own out-of-the-box Web presence via Medi-Clinic.
Benefits
The MCIS suite of products enabled rapid implementation while containing TCO (Total Cost of Ownership). Close understanding of Medi-Clinic`s business needs at DD i-Commerce Services ensured the integration of value-adding features that eased administration, ensured security at no extra cost and entrenched the relationship with medical professionals.
Healthcare resources online in Africa for first time
SA healthcare is changing fast. Public policy today focuses on primary care for low-income groups rather than curative care for the higher paid. The private sector responds by maintaining or enhancing quality standards. Simultaneously, medical inflation often dwarfs CPI. As a result, managed care, medical saving accounts and other controls are introduced by medical schemes. Patient power or medical consumerism is now with us. The demand is for the right treatment at the right price in a caring environment. Doctors, healthcare funders and patients expect timely, reliable data plus quality support. An e-enabled information hub and virtual partner of patients, doctors and medical aids might meet this need and deepen relationships with all role-players, if only a secure digital platform with comprehensive functionality can be created. It can...and has.
Introduction
Medi-Clinic is a private hospital industry leader with an estimated 23% share of market. The group has 10 000 staff, 5 000 hospital beds and runs 34 hospitals in SA and Namibia. It launched in 1983 and listed in 1986. Founder Dr Edwin Hertzog and Rembrandt Group (a 50% equity stakeholder) were among the first to see the need for extensive, high quality, private healthcare. Medi-Clinic was an industry pioneer in the `80s and `90s. It still is.
In April 2000, Medi-Clinic called in DD i-Commerce Services to outline its vision of an e-extension of group services. It envisioned an Internet-based information source and virtual partner of healthcare role-players. Being first to market was important to entrench leadership status - so were quality, confidentiality (security) and site services that assisted medical professionals.
As a public company, financial prudence was also key. Helping leverage mainstream business into the e-future is core competence at DD i-Commerce Services. (The `i` stands for interactive.) Clients in the Internet arena include the JSE, ABSA, Momentum, Nedcor and the SABC.
Client requirements
During an analysis of business needs, it emerged that Medi-Clinic regarded the creation of Africa`s first e-commerce enabled healthcare platform as a powerful means of differentiating itself from competitors. It could build virtual bridges to all stakeholders and use them to deliver value adding services.
A significant challenge to the DD unit was the need for a compressed time period plus top security plus competitive pricing. Tried and tested out-of-the-box reliability was called for. But leading edge technology was needed if the wish-list of services and features was to be ticked off.
Solution description
The latest MCIS (Microsoft Commercial Internet System) technology seemed to be indicated. System designers at i-Commerce Services approached Microsoft Consulting Services for a `sanity-check` while exploring the suitability of MCIS - notably its open, scalable and extensible platform and broad functionality. MCIS offered an all-in-one solution with a tempting price/value proposition and flexible licensing options.
A brief survey of alternative licensing and product offerings confirmed the competitive pricing of an MCIS-driven solution.
An ASP (Application Service Provider) approach was taken, using hosted infrastructure. In this way, a client leases (but self-manages) the infrastructure rather than maintains his own systems. This assures lower TCO and frees Medi-Clinic to focus on core competencies. It doesn`t need to became an IT shop, yet maintains overall control through comprehensive, simple-to-use, web-based management interfaces.
The experience of MS Consulting Services in RAD (rapid application development) projects based on MS product ranges was a big plus in a time-sensitive situation. The consultants could also help in the deployment of MCIS services on NT Servers.
Components
A key element in the overall design is the MCIS 2.5 Membership Directory. It provides a store of in-depth information that is accessed through the Medi-Clinic Online website via a custom code. Multiple views are determined by the level of privilege enjoyed by the user. Medical professionals can update their information; the public can browse or search; hospital managers can gather marketing information; Medi-Clinic head office can maintain their records. Relevance of data for various user groups is assured by the MCIS Personalisation Tool.
E-mail access (MCIS Mail) is web-based through a standard Internet e-mail service like Outlook Express. Doctors can opt for larger mailboxes than consumer versions without having to own their email servers. In addition, doctors can now email X-rays - something not practical in the past.
MCIS 2.5 Personal Web Pages (PWP) and a DD-written code have created a wizard that enables medical professionals to fashion their own template-driven home pages. This Medi-Clinic service means doctors can now achieve an out-of-the-box web presence that reflects professional designer standards.
Chat facilities were laid on through MCIS 2.5 Chat. This community forum enables doctors and specialists to exchange views on professional and technical matters.
Meanwhile, MCIS 2.5 News creates private USENET News Groups, providing an opportunity for hospitals, doctors, specialists, healthcare funders and others to discuss issues of mutual concern - giving Medi-Clinic an industry listening post.
In addition, a self-managed subscriber service (MCIS 2.5 Administration & Provisioning Services) allows Medi-Clinic to maintain and update subscription plans and other records.
The Medi-Clinic Online website provides a broad platform for value-adding services. Features (current and planned) include a daily news feed from the USA, an event calendar (custom written by DD) and a doctor-search facility to help consumers find specialists, GPs and medical services by area of expertise or by geographic area.
ISP access enables doctors and specialists to dial up and into account details and other records - all kept up-to-date by Medi-Clinic`s subscriber service.
Comprehensive management tools based on Site Server Web-based Admin and IE 5.5 technologies were created by i-Commerce Services to simplify the management of the infrastructure. This approach meant DD did not have to custom-design a separate security solution, saving time and money.
Time-scales
The out-of-the-box availability of the MCIS suite of products and the close working relationships which developed between Medi-Clinic executives, Dimension Data i-Commerce Services and MS Consulting Services enabled the solution to be implemented within 10 weeks. In total, it took only three months from the initial brief to the roll-out of phase one of development.
Benefits
A key benefit (in addition to speed of deployment, reliability and competitive pricing) is that the solution creates a comprehensive, robust platform on which all future development can be built.
For example, phase two of development rolled out well before year-end. Additional services in the follow-up phase included a facility for surgeons to pre-book operating theatres.
Summary
In a matter of months, the 1 100 doctors and specialists associated with the Medi-Clinic Group achieved access to enhanced email services tailored to their needs. They now enjoy quick, convenient access to patient records and account histories. They can participate in chat rooms and news forums and can create their own Net presence.
Lines of communication between Medi-Clinic and doctors are shorter - just a few computer keystrokes away. Ditto for the communication with the public and healthcare funders.
All interested parties have access to authoritative information on medical matters and Medi-Clinic facilities.
Open access to many features of the site creates a practical demonstration of the advantages of a relationship with Medi-Clinic. Little wonder, then, that medical professionals not previously linked to the group can now submit applications to become part of the Medi-Clinic community - and are doing so.
Medi-Clinic Online is a data store, a virtual admin assistant and researcher for doctors and specialists, a record-keeper, a source of information and reassurance for patients and a powerful marketing tool. There`s never been anything quite like it inside Africa ... and built-in capacity for enhancement means it gets better all the time.
Quotes
Dr Edwin Hertzog, Medi-Clinic chairman, observed: "The platform to launch numerous medical business services offers us the unique opportunity to differentiate ourselves within the marketplace while moving us even closer to the healthcare community. Ultimately, our vision is that Medi-Clinic Online will become one of the premium sources of health information, education, interaction and assistance for doctors, patients and healthcare communities across Africa."
Leigh Warren, system architect/team leader from Dimension Data i-Commerce Services in Cape Town, noted: "MCIS gave us a fully integrated platform, providing all the online services required. Its basis on Site Server meant that many DD i-Commerce resources were already familiar with the technology, thereby accelerating deployment... The extensive product knowledge of MS Consulting Services, their responsiveness and professionalism played a critical role in helping to set up and configure our development environment and in the deployment of the ultimate solution."
Fraser Mocke, MS Consulting Services, Cape Town, commented: "This assignment highlighted and confirmed the benefits of working as a multi-disciplinary, dedicated project team and the importance of flexibility in one`s project approach and methodology. Medi-Clinic has overcome communication inefficiencies between stakeholders, has encouraged interaction between stakeholder communities and raised the profile and positive perceptions of their brand - all through one single, very far-sighted initiative."
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