“CTG’s attitude was what I appreciated the most. Their staff had a general willingness to help in any way possible to ensure our success. They always asked, ‘How can we help more?’ CTG’s approach was very refreshing. They did an excellent job and were very communicative. The activation was very well done and exceeded our expectations.”

—Health System Executive

The Challenge and Opportunity

Our client is a large not-for-profit hospital system with 22,000 healthcare employees and 12 hospitals. Recognizing the need for enhanced integration and efficiency, the hospital system embarked on a significant technological transition. The organization’s leadership made the strategic decision to migrate from their existing Laboratory Information System (LIS), SoftLab, to Epic Beaker. This pivotal move was designed to seamlessly align the laboratory systems with their existing Epic ecosystem. By implementing Epic Beaker, the organization aimed to create a more cohesive and streamlined information flow across its various medical departments. The transition presented complex challenges, primarily due to the necessity of establishing comprehensive connections with numerous third-party systems. These connections were crucial for maintaining uninterrupted management of laboratory results and workflows.

The Solution and Results

CTG played a crucial role in the healthcare system’s ambitious transition to Epic Beaker. Their involvement began with a comprehensive on-site strategic assessment, which laid the groundwork for successful implementation. CTG’s multifaceted approach included:

• Support Needs Identification and Workflow Analysis: CTG’s team conducted an in-depth analysis of existing workflows, identified departments requiring additional support during activation, and developed a support heat map, enabling strategic resource allocation across various locations. 
• Customized Implementation Plan: Based on user feedback, CTG crafted a tailored support plan. This included strengthening the Super User training program through program strategy sessions with leadership to review best practices program structure and a customized training approach to enlist and prepare Super Users.
• Comprehensive Activation Readiness: Extensive advisory and project management services included technical dress rehearsals and command center planning, scheduling and execution. CTG conducted thorough reviews of all processes, ensuring all stakeholders were fully prepared for the go-live phase, and partnered with their internal Service Desk to ensure smooth customer support. 
• Service Desk and Virtual Workflow Development: CTG developed new workflows to increase efficiencies, offering 24/7 virtual support with an impressive 20-second average response time. They created informative flyers to educate end users about available virtual support options, enhancing communication and support accessibility. 
• Hybrid Activation Support Model: CTG deployed a customized hybrid model featuring virtual at-the elbow (ATE) staff to manage high call volumes and resolve issues promptly. This approach combined a remote triage team with on-site team leads, overseen by a project manager for each critical phase. 

CTG’s Activation and Readiness Solutions strategically helped this client develop and execute a strategy that significantly reduced the burden on the service desk while facilitating smooth integration with existing systems. CTG’s approach not only addressed immediate needs but also laid a strong foundation for future improvements and efficiencies in laboratory operations.

“From start to finish, this project was completed on time and on budget,” said the client’s project manager, “This was the best and smoothest go-live we’ve ever done.”

The effectiveness of CTG’s support model was evident within the first 12 days post-go-live:

• Hundreds of end user calls received
• Call abandonment rate: 0%
• Average call answer time: Within 20 seconds
• Average call duration: 7 minutes