Enterprise Imaging Replacement
Seeking a cost-effective and rapid implementation, the project required experienced project management leadership and specialized expertise in Imaging Informatics including clinical and technical workflows, dataflows, and technical integration.
The organization needed a partner who could not only expertly manage a challenging imaging project in a highly complex environment, but also a partner who could rapidly deploy the new enterprise imaging platform with a high level of proficiency while working closely alongside the health system’s internal team.
The project consisted of replacing the health system’s legacy radiology PACS, specialty viewers, and imaging data flows and workflows using a “deconstructed” imaging platform with a leading suite of technologies and processes for radiology imaging and informatics. There were five discrete technologies that comprised this integrated platform: radiology PACS, specialty post-processing imaging applications, data orchestration, workflow and worklist orchestration, and enterprise viewer. The scope of
the project included integrating more than 700 imaging devices with the new enterprise imaging solution plus integrating over 60 dependent imaging post-processing and reporting applications.
Impact Advisors Role
Impact Advisors was engaged to lead both the development of the enterprise imaging PMO and the technical and clinical implementation of the new enterprise imaging platform. We later expanded our services to provide clinical workflow and analysis, technical design, integration of the imaging applications environment, and go-live support to augment the capabilities of the deployment and go-live support team.
Approach and Keys to Success
Setting the Stage
Planning and confirmation of previous planning efforts provided a firm foundation of vital resources: people, time and money, and ensured all components of the project were given appropriate consideration from the onset. A key activity at this stage was development of the current environment discovery and implementation timeline and detailed workplans, which were shared with project teams at all levels, maintained, and proactively managed throughout the project.
Experienced Program Leadership
Using a hybrid Agile and Waterfall approach, Impact Advisors led the deployment of the new enterprise imaging platform, including management of:
• Project execution and timeline
• Risks and issues
• Project governance and driving key stakeholder decision-making
• Overall project budget
• Project communications and status reporting
• System and workflow adoption (change management)
• Coordination of external vendor stakeholders
Clinical and Technical Expertise
Our delivery of the technical and clinical activities included:
• Platform design, architecture, and security
• DICOM routing and advanced dataflows
• Integrated platform with existing reporting systems and viewers
• Integrated Point of Care Ultrasound (POCUS) and image guided surgical
devices into the platform
Our Client Impact
An On-time, Under Budget Implementation
The enterprise imaging platform replacement was successfully completed in 12 months (from initial planning to go-live). The program was delivered on time and 18% under budget, establishing a deployment model and project management tools for replication and use by other sites, departments, and key stakeholders within the organization. This included:
• Project charter and plans
• Defined team member roles and responsibilities (i.e., RACI matrix)
• Risks and issues list + mitigation recommendations
• System designs, platform and data security materials
• Testing scripts and performance validation documentation
• Governance and standardization information
• Education and training materials
• Go-live and conversion plans
• Project lessons learned
"Impact Advisors rings strong clinical expertise, deep technical knowledge related to imaging, and proven program management. The excel at being able to absorb great levels of complexity unique to the academic environment. But the intangibles also set Impact Advisors apart. It's the way they were able to seamlessly integrate into our culture and environment. The end result was exactly what we hoped for - and by working with Impact Advisors' team to get there, we really feel like we achieved great outcomes together."