Client
Allstream, formerly Integra, is a software company that is exclusively focused on the design and development of clinical workflow management systems for healthcare providers.
Allstream’s family of products includes the document management solution for specialty pharmacy operations, and a fully integrated delivery management solution.
Business Need
When the client decided to completely re-implement its clinical workflow management system to improve customer experience it quickly became obvious that this effort will be a sizable undertaking and will consume all the available development and test resources for a lengthy period of time. To continue development on the delivery management solution it was decided to bring vendors in-house and get the work staffed.
This is when the client reached out to Akvelon, inquiring if Akvelon had the resources available to do the work.
Solution
Akvelon was open to the idea of complete on-site engagement. However after a detailed evaluation of the project goals, technologies and dependency on other products and timelines it became obvious that the work could be successfully executed in on-site/off-site engagement model.
An on-site/off-site model was proposed as the most cost-effective and efficient to address the client’s needs. Akvelon proposed to utilize a local Akvelon project manager while having the development and test team completely off-shore at one of Akvelon’s Eastern European development centers.
Through an initial trial engagement Akvelon was able to demonstrate and convince the client that an engagement model with local project management coupled with mature communication and development process of the off-site team guaranteed successful results even in the most demanding timelines. Allstream signed-off on the project to commence.
Benefits and Results
Akvelon successfully delivered on the project, building a mobile application that allows managing pharmacy delivery workflow and ensures compliance with government regulations. The system automates complex delivery process, integrates pharmacy servers, dispatch workstations, and handheld GPS-enabled barcode scanners to ensure data consistency and address safety issues. It also provides support for disconnected scenarios to prevent data loss which is critical part of compliance with federal regulations.
Akvelon helped Allstream to drive efficiencies through:
- State of the art processes
- Zero permanent staff increase and zero team turn over
- Ability to rapidly scale the team up as well as down as project requirements and timelines changed
- Specific expertise and domain knowledge
- Complete visibility in to the team and mature communication process
- Reduction in total cost of development by about 60% of originally budgeted.
Technology Used
Windows Mobile 2005/2006, Windows 2003 Server, MS SQL Server 2005
Languages: C#, C++
Libraries/Frame works: OpenNETCF, Resco Controls, Enterprise Library, Geobase, LastComponent Persistent Objects Library, Infragistics Library, SQL Server Compact Edition 3.5, .NET Compact Framework 3.5, .NET Framework 3.5, InstallShield