Challenge
Tailor-made software for a unified diary across all departments
Previously, two legacy systems had been used for HFC’s patient management; one for procedures and medical records and the other for patient accounts.
As not all processes could be covered by one or the other, additional systems were used for some appointment setting (e.g. in Outlook). There was duplicated information across the Lab and Nursing areas of the system. Paper forms and logs were integral and there was an increased potential for delay. Screens in the application could be confusing and difficult to use. Staff exported information to Excel as a workaround to overcome the lack of analysis and reporting functionality. It was not easy for management to track activities across the clinic.
Furthermore, the desktop database did not meet enterprise requirements in terms of security and performance. As a result, HFC was looking to migrate their core patient management application onto a modern platform. HFC followed a patient-centric approach where all participating functions should be integrated: Doctors, nurses, the lab as well as administration should be able to access and handle patient’s data in one single system across the entire clinic.
About Hollywood Fertility Centre
Hollywood Fertility Centre (HFC), located at the prestigious Hollywood Private Hospital in Perth, has become one of Western Australia's largest and most experienced centres for infertility, IVF (In Vitro Fertilisation) and other assisted conception treatments. At HFC, science and laboratory technologies are continually being improved by implementing the latest techniques. These innovations have dramatically improved patient outcomes.
Solution
Lateral developed a Unified Diary. It incorporates data from both legacy systems into a single, easy-to-use web calendar application. Using an enterprise grade Microsoft SQL Server database, it provides the ability to manage large amounts of data efficiently.
Result
All divisions have an overall picture of all patient-involving activities, appointments and procedures on a single screen. For example, doctors know what the lab is doing and nurses can see which appointtments have been made by administration. Neither paper forms nor additional software are required anymore.
The bespoke software solution has significantly increased internal transparency as well as productivity. The system assists HFC’s management with a range of resources providing a holistic view, including reports and analysis functions. Furthermore, it provides verification of billing. It also provides a high level of performance and security. Screens are easy to use; colour codes help accessing the right information at first sight.
Now all involved parties across the entire practice have a comprehensive view; they not only can see what is currently happening but they can also refer to the patient’s history which helps take a look into the future. That way, the system contributes to a patient-centric service with a focus on highclass personal professional care and support - a service that patients can expect from HFC as a modern, innovative fertility centre.
Dr Guy Callender, Practice Manager at Hollywood Fertility Centre (HFC):"The Diary not only enhanced our ability to manage our patients, it gave everyone in the practice a clear picture of their part to each day: a great use of IT which unifies our patients and our practice needs."
Download this case study as a pdf
If you need a bespoke software solution, contact us today!
