Case Studies- Healthcare
The Challenge:
Health Care is a hot topic in any country these days, and the sectors of the economy that deliver and support the day-to-day activities of hospitals and related health care agencies realize the operational environment is changing constantly. Legislative and regulatory processes, new technology, limited resources and lack of funding make it difficult for the institution to deliver on their primary goal: to provide the best patient care possible with efficiency and safety in a rapidly changing environment. When it comes to paper or label-based products, the health care professionals who depend on the accuracy and availability of information simply need access to the right document at the right time. By allowing them to focus on their primary objective, rather than the ancillary processes, outsourcing the requirement to manufacture, manage and distribute print services to reliable supply chain partners make sense, as long as those partners have the stability, expertise and cost-effectiveness to deliver on the primary objective - cost reduction with improvements in service levels on an ongoing basis.
Solutions and Results:
The DATA Group of Companies meets the criteria above through our customized health care print management programs. Over the past 45 years, we've worked with leading health care providers, select government agencies, clinical research organizations, health information service providers, health insurers and payers (public and private), and a number of pharmaceutical and medical products companies. We know the challenges the industry faces, and customize our solutions to address both the short and long term objectives each of our health care customers require.
The company recently completed implementation of an expanded outsourcing relationship with London Hospitals in London, Ontario, that adds services for St. Joseph's Health Centre (SJHC) to our existing relationship with London Health Sciences Centre (LHSC,) allowing for the introduction of new services for custom printing, and walk-up reprographics services on-site for both hospitals.
The new agreement was reached earlier in 2004 with Healthcare Materials Management Services (HMMS). HMMS is a joint venture between LHSC and SJHC with an overall mandate to integrate printing and document management services for the London Hospitals, and to find improvements for the ways service is provided. DATA has been a contract partner for inventoried printing and labels to London Health Sciences Centre since 1996, shortly after the merger of Victoria and University Hospitals created LHSC. The merged entity is recognized as a world-class research and teaching organization, offering internationally recognized specialty programs and providing acute health care for Southwestern Ontario.
DATA will provide a range of forms and printed products, coupled with inventory management, activity analysis & reporting, warehousing & distribution directly to the end users. In focusing on their patient care requirements instead of managing printing within the facility, the hospital anticipates significant cost reductions and service improvements using DATA's customized health care print management program.
DATA has played an important role partnering with LHSC to address the requirements of consolidating and streamlining the LHSC document system, including development of an electronic forms catalogue, and implementation of an on-line ordering system. St. Joseph's Health Sciences Centre was also built through amalgamation of 23 facilities, some existing since the 1800's. Included are St. Joseph's Hospital, Parkwood Hospital, Mount Hope Centre for Long Term Care, and regional mental health centres in London and St. Thomas. Today, like LHSC, SJHC is also a major care facility with many specialty programs, and teaching affiliations with Fanshawe College and the University of Western Ontario.
Under the new service arrangement, DATA manages inventories off site for all hospital facilities at our London Print on Demand Production and Distribution Centre, provides rotating on-site print production specialists for consultative reprographics services, and document management services from our London Sales Centre. Expansion of electronic services is expected to play an important role in the development of this relationship, as users log on and access documentation via the web using The DATA Document Manager.
In April, 2002, DATA entered into a multi-year contract to provide document management services to Halton Healthcare Services, a leading Ontario healthcare institution (380 beds) created by the merger of Milton District Hospital and Oakville-Trafalgar Memorial Hospital.
DATA will provide a range of forms and printed products, coupled with inventory management, activity analysis & reporting, warehousing & distribution directly to the end users. In focusing on their patient care requirements instead of managing printing within the facility, the hospital anticipates significant cost reductions and service improvements using DATA's customized health care print management program.