The HealthTech industry, including pharma, has strict product security regulations and laws. For this reason, some of the main activities of organizations include the development of systems for collecting, processing, and analyzing data, especially in terms of side effects in patients.

The need  

The client needed support in terms of team building for projects in three areas:

• Development and maintenance of Oracle data warehouse in which BI/ETL specialists are involved.
• Quality Assurance services for Business Intelligence application which requires competences in the field of software testing, BI, and Big Data.
• Development of custom applications in Java technology.

Since 2012, when the cooperation has started, about fifty Inetum’s IT specialists have joined three dedicated teams.

Registration of side effects  

The project aimed to expand the system for side effects registration and data processing with new functionalities. The first application serves registration and classification of adverse effects that occur in patients. The other one collects the data into packages and sends them to state authorities. Each day, about 2500 users take advantage of the applications developed by the Java dedicated team from Inetum.

The cooperation is based on the Managed Services model that allows for development team scaling. For the management, ITIL methods and SOP (Standard Operating Procedure) are used, especially in the areas of Incident Management, Change Management and Problem Management. The project team consists of Front-End developers, Java developers, Oracle engineers, testers, support specialists and technical specialists.

“What makes Inetum different from other companies is that their staff turnover is very low, and this is something that our clients appreciate.”   

Service Delivery Manager  

Challenges  

• In the quarterly release cycle, there is a high frequency of updates, especially for new functionalities.
• Head management of the IT department, as well as business stakeholders, are engaged in the CCB (Change Management Board) meetings.
• The whole process of development has to be conducted as per SOP procedures, from requirements gathering to building implementation packages.
• Validation in terms of change implementation requires detailed documentation.
• The team cooperates with many teams from all over the world, including Spain, India, and the USA.

Data warehouse maintenance  

Registered data about adverse effects are provided by patients as well as specialized doctors that collaborate with the client. In the EMEA region, new databases are being created continuously which calls for a good working maintenance process. The client uses a vast set of tools such as Tableau, SAP Business Objects, Oracle, Informatica PowerCenter and Informatica Data Quality to provide high-quality reports and information.

Inetum’s team is responsible for ensuring stability and development of existing Business Intelligence tools, including creating new reports and management dashboards. The team also takes care of ETL processes and the Oracle data warehouse. The majority of specialists in the team are Oracle and BI/ETL experts.

“We track KPIs such as time of response and delivery time. Inetum delivers on-time 98% of the time and tickets that are closed late are usually because of things outside of their control. (…) The communication is on a great level, and I rarely have to wait more than 5–10 minutes to get an answer.”

Service Delivery Manager  

Business benefits  

• Team of experienced engineers with high-level skills in their respective specialization as well as in niche technologies.
• Long-term cooperation with the nearshoring service provider having good knowledge of client’s processes and needs.
• High motivation and engagement of specialists who take care of the client’s business.

Technologies  

Depending on projects, there are various stacks of technologies and tools but generally, the teams use Tableau, SAP Business Objects, Oracle, Informatica PowerCenter and Informatica Data Quality, Java, JavaScript, Angular, SQL Developer, Jira, HP ALM, PL/SQL Scripts, JMeter, Postman.

About the client

One of the world’s largest BioTech companies and the leader in medical diagnostics.

Medim has been providing innovative solutions in 17 areas of medicine for over 30 years, supplying healthcare facilities with specialized medical equipment and apparatus. JCommerce has been cooperating with Medim since 2010, when our specialists carried out the implementation of the Microsoft Dynamics NAV system. At the time, we implemented the ERP system within a timeframe of six months – the client appreciated the commitment of our team and described the implementation itself as exemplary.

Problem

In 2019, Medim contacted us regarding the need to update the system. The company needed a modern enterprise resource planning tool that would allow them to work effectively and intuitively using the latest technologies. Despite ad hoc updates, the system had ceased to meet the company’s expectations. In the case of small and medium-sized enterprises, frequent updates of the ERP system should be a natural response to the dynamics of the company, changing legal regulations and emerging technologies. Only then can users take advantage of the latest solutions and have access to the necessary integration with the applications used in the company. It is advisable to replace an ERP system every 8-10 years, to be sure that it continues to be fit for purpose. Every year, Microsoft releases a new version of its product, the most recent of which is Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central, which ERP specialists from JCommerce recommended to Medim.

Solution

The JCommerce team updated Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2016 to the latest version. Because the client has switched to cloud infrastructure, we implemented the new system on the Microsoft Azure platform using the SQL Server database. Such a solution, i.e. using a ERP system and a cloud platform from the same provider, relieves the client of the burden of maintaining the hybrid infrastructure and the related challenges and problems. As part of our work, we also introduced minor changes, including in printouts and handling interest notes, which extended the system’s capabilities.

The Microsoft Business Central system lifts company management to a new level, and its users can take advantage of the latest technological solutions, such as Artificial Intelligence algorithms supporting data analysis or data visualization with the use of PowerBI.

Additional capabilities

Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central offers users many additional options. In order for the client to utilize the entire potential of the system, the ERP consultants from JCommerce proposed additional solutions to facilitate users’ work.

1) Use of industrial tablets
Currently, product entries and releases from the store are handled at the workplace using dedicated functionality and standard acceptance and release documents. Document lines with batch numbers and serial numbers must be input manually. JCommerce proposed the preparation and implementation of functionality to support Data Matrix barcode readers. This will help to improve the process, and the Business Central system user will be able to handle product entries and releases from anywhere using an industrial tablet with a wireless connection.

2) Expansion of existing reports
The client uses reports such as “Status”, “Contract Analysis”, “Payment Report” or an external “Current States” report in the form of an Excel sheet that retrieves data from the Dynamics 365 Business Central system database. JCommerce proposed the implementation of additional functions or new system infrastructure, which would make it possible to expand, optimize and extend the possibilities of these reports and analyses. The proposed changes have already been implemented in the “Payment Report” and “Current States”.

Business Benefits

Inetum’sclient built an e-transplant system for a government unit, facilitating the selection of organs for transplantation in terms of DNA and bone marrow compliance. At the beginning of the project, work was carried out using only their own IT resources, based on data for creation of the algorithm, provided by a team of geneticists. However, the scope of work turned out to be too wide, and the challenges faced by the team were too vast, which resulted in the deadline for the implementation of the system being at risk. For this reason, the client decided to search for support from external providers, including Inetum.

System

The system is a web application that uses data from many sources. The algorithm searches the data in the system and verifies the genetic compliance of the donor and organ recipient. In this way, the chances of choosing a suitable donor for the transplant increase.

Challenges

• To carry out the project, the Inetumproject team needed to gain a substantive knowledge in the field of genetics. The goal was to learn how the algorithm developed by the genetic team functions and to improve it.
• The system processes huge amounts of data and requires massive computing capabilities and well-designed architecture.
• The hierarchical structure in the project was also a challenge – the implementation of tasks made it necessary to gain numerous approvals from the client side.
• The work of many teams and the need for good communication with a second contractor and business representatives.

Implementation

Two Scrum Teams and one DevOps project team work on the Inetum side. A multi-functional team of Inetum specialists consisting of Java developers, testers, as well as an architect and DevOps engineers joined the client’s team, and our specialists have prepared and designed the e-transplant system from scratch. We are currently working on the system and the algorithm to improve it. Using the DevOps competences, we advise changes and implement the software infrastructure. We are also responsible for the front-end and back-end layers, as well as testing the application.

Work on the project requires cooperation with many people involved on the business side: there are business analysts, a Project Head and a Scrum Master on the target client’s side. As the project developed, we verified the schedule and scaled the team to meet the client’s needs, thanks to which the client grew to trust us and cooperation was strengthened. For Inetum developers, the project is an interesting algorithmic challenge. They also admit that during the implementation they feel a sense of purpose, as the e-transplant support system will be implemented throughout Poland and will help save lives.

Business benefits: