Hinchingbrooke Health Care NHS Trust

Read how HHCT uses Metrici to improve IT Systems for clinical departments.

Background

Hinchingbrooke Healthcare NHS Trust (HHCT) invited Metrici to apply their system governance methods, materials and services to HHCT's IT governance objectives, including Information Governance, progress to the NHS National Program for IT (NPfIT), and IT management within HHCT.

Requirements

There were two key requirements for HHCT:

• Create an inventory of all the IT systems within HHCT. Review all systems to gain overall measures, highlight areas of concern and deliver priority-based recommendations.
• Create a repeatable process for the detailed assessment of individual IT systems against IT governance objectives.

Working with Metrici

"HHCT worked with Metrici to quantify the key functions and risks in every one of HHCT's business systems, giving us insight to reduce significantly the number of systems supported by the IT department." - Gordon Greaves, Associate Director of IT, Hinchingbrooke Health Care NHS Trust.

System Inventory

Metrici and HHCT used the Metrici Advisor online service with the standard Metrici System Inventory assessment template for a small sample of systems to understand customisation requirements. Next, Metrici made minor changes to the template to include requirements for NPfIT.

HHCT used a combination of self-assessment and workshops with Metrici. The customised System Inventory template was used to produce a complete inventory of HHCT's 70 IT systems. The review included both IT managed systems and departmental IT systems. 97% coverage of the assessment data was achieved with only three days’ effort.

The inventory process, though short, raised a number of significant issues with the systems, including the identification of systems that were potential candidates for decommissioning.

The inventory provided overall measures of how the IT meets governance objectives, including progress towards NPfIT.

Priority analysis

The inventory was analysed to identify priorities for further action. Out of the 70 systems, only two required urgent detailed assessment, 13 would benefit from more detailed assessment, and 18 were possible candidates. The remainder, over 50%, were not priorities for further assessment.

This risk-based prioritisation helped the trust direct its attention and resources to the areas of greatest need.

Detailed Assessment

Metrici and HHCT assessed an example system using the standard Metrici System Governance assessment template, to understand customisation requirements. Following this, Metrici extended the standard template to include additional items to reflect HHCT's business strategy, and requirements for Information Governance and NPfIT. The HHCT System Governance template contained 48 questions and used 77 of the rules contained in the Metrici expert system.

The customised template was used to support an assessment of a business system that was known to have some problems. The assessment was completed during a half-day workshop including representatives from the clinical department and IT department.

The Metrici Advisor reporting suite provided additional speed and structure to the assessment, validation, and analysis processes:

• Response Summary report – Used by HHCT to review and confirm the answers given during the assessment.
• Response Validation report – Used by Metrici to independently validate the assessment.
• System Analysis report – Generated automatically by the expert system within Metrici Advisor, containing a prioritised list of recommendations to guide management action where it can add the greatest value.

HHCT found the System Governance assessment a very effective focus for discussions between the IT department and the clinical departments. The recommendations made by Metrici's expert system were considered insightful and appropriate, and have been taken forward as the basis for improvement plans for the IT system.

The customised template is available as an ongoing resource for HHCT to use as required to support detailed System Governance assessments of other IT systems.

In summary

Metrici successfully applied their methods, materials and services to HHCT's IT governance objectives, including Information Governance, progress to the NHS National Program for IT (NPfIT), and IT management within HHCT.

HHCT found the Metrici processes fast, easy and effective. The structured 'top down' approach enabled HHCT to identify and focus quickly on areas of greatest concern. The priority based recommendations delivered by the process were considered insightful and appropriate, and have been taken forward as the basis for IT improvement plans.

HHCT are taking system governance forward as a process to manage their IT governance objectives and to assist their long-term management of IT systems.