Craig Mercer's thoughts on the nature of variation and "crossing the streams" of Project Management with Benefits Realization Management, Organizational Change Management and Process Improvement (Lean Design).
The following is a very brief overview of how we support our project go-lives here at Island Health. This Command Centre model has grown up over the past 10 years into a fairly well oiled machine that improves every time we use it. Each of the four functions has a specific purpose in the model which compliment and reinforce each other.
Key Drivers in Supporting Project Implementations
All staff impacted by the change must be supported at the front line (e.g.: Onsite Support) and have a way to report problems (hardware, system, education needs etc.) to the go-live support team.
To reduce delays in responding to problems, the go-live team must have a single way (e.g.: Central Support) to receive and report out on the volume/themes of incidents that staff are experiencing.
The go-live team must have a way to bring the appropriate resources to bear on urgent issues as they emerge (e.g.: Rapid Response) to ensure interruptions to front line staff are kept to a minimum.
To ensure the right decisions can be made by the right people in as short a time as possible, there must be clear escalation paths for operational leadership (e.g.: Situation Room) to address urgent incidents as they emerge.
Onsite Support
Made up of inter-disciplinary teams (typically a project/technical analyst and a nurse/medical informaticist) who round on the units, providing at the elbow support/education and addressing issues in the moment. They can also be dispatched by Central Support to address high priority items (e.g.: Physician is having trouble logging into the system) and finally, they act as the “eyes and ears” of the Command Centre on the ground.
Central Support
An inter-disciplinary team that staffs a 24×7 Call Centre which is in addition to our regular Service/Clinical Solution Desks. Central Support answers calls from both Onsite Support and front line staff, logs them in an incident tracking system and then triages/dispatches to the appropriate team (Onsite Support, Service Desk, IM/IT Operations, Biomedical Engineering, Facilities/Maintenance, Housekeeping etc.). The Central Support lead(s) produce twice daily (10AM and 2PM) reports (placemat dashboards) for the Situation Room showing all incidents, themes and escalation points.
Rapid Response
Inter-disciplinary teams brought together at the request of the Central Support leads to work particular problems and will co-locate to collaboratively work the issue through to completion. These teams follow the Information Technology Information Library (ITIL) Framework for systems incident/change/problem and release management to ensure the fix is not worse than the original problem.
Situation Room
Consists of an inter-disciplinary operational leadership team who provide overall direction, serve as the highest escalation point and can provide in the moment decision making when needed (e.g.: if a system downtime is required). They also review the twice daily reports (placemats) from Central Support and guide resolution for any emerging themes.
Dec 17 2017
Going Live In Healthcare (the Four Function Command Centre)
The following is a very brief overview of how we support our project go-lives here at Island Health. This Command Centre model has grown up over the past 10 years into a fairly well oiled machine that improves every time we use it. Each of the four functions has a specific purpose in the model which compliment and reinforce each other.
Key Drivers in Supporting Project Implementations
Onsite Support
Made up of inter-disciplinary teams (typically a project/technical analyst and a nurse/medical informaticist) who round on the units, providing at the elbow support/education and addressing issues in the moment. They can also be dispatched by Central Support to address high priority items (e.g.: Physician is having trouble logging into the system) and finally, they act as the “eyes and ears” of the Command Centre on the ground.
Central Support
An inter-disciplinary team that staffs a 24×7 Call Centre which is in addition to our regular Service/Clinical Solution Desks. Central Support answers calls from both Onsite Support and front line staff, logs them in an incident tracking system and then triages/dispatches to the appropriate team (Onsite Support, Service Desk, IM/IT Operations, Biomedical Engineering, Facilities/Maintenance, Housekeeping etc.). The Central Support lead(s) produce twice daily (10AM and 2PM) reports (placemat dashboards) for the Situation Room showing all incidents, themes and escalation points.
Rapid Response
Inter-disciplinary teams brought together at the request of the Central Support leads to work particular problems and will co-locate to collaboratively work the issue through to completion. These teams follow the Information Technology Information Library (ITIL) Framework for systems incident/change/problem and release management to ensure the fix is not worse than the original problem.
Situation Room
Consists of an inter-disciplinary operational leadership team who provide overall direction, serve as the highest escalation point and can provide in the moment decision making when needed (e.g.: if a system downtime is required). They also review the twice daily reports (placemats) from Central Support and guide resolution for any emerging themes.
By Craig "hachiroku" Mercer • 03 - Delivering •