Northeast Georgia Health System

From system selection to legacy support, NGHS relies on our depth and expertise to aid their multiyear transition to Workday.

Challenges

Northeast Georgia Health System (NGHS) needed to replace multiple and disparate solutions for key HCM, Finance, and SCM functions. Outside expertise was required to guide vendor selection focused on identifying a unified ERP solution.

Post-selection, the client required a comprehensive resource plan to support the implementation. Consultants and contractors were needed to backfill operational roles, maintain critical legacy systems, manage a help desk, and staff key PM and analyst roles on the implementation team. The initiative coincided with the COVID-19 pandemic, complicating the resource plan, and extending the project timeline.

Solutions

Healthcare IT Leaders recommended an experienced advisor to lead vendor selection through a guided assessment process. We also facilitated customer reference checks and executive meetings with the chosen vendor, Workday.

Workday’s professional services team would lead the implementation, but managing the build is only one component of a transformational ERP project. The translation of existing workflows to a new system requires analysts with operational subject matter expertise as well as experience with Workday. Healthcare IT Leaders identified and placed several of these analysts to lead workgroups devoted to essential functions, such as Financial Management, Human Capital Management, Payroll and Time Tracking.

The client’s existing applications—Lawson, Kronos, and SuccessFactors—would require ongoing maintenance throughout the implementation, and Healthcare IT Leaders identified expert consultants to keep these systems operational.

Expert Managed Services

Along with application support, the client also required professional help desk services. Healthcare IT Leaders implemented a managed services solution supported by 9 individuals. Utilizing ServiceNow for ITSM, the team manages an average of 40 – 50 level 2 and level 3 service tickets a day. On-call resources ensure around the clock coverage. Our consultants also provide laptop and desktop support.

Comprehensive Staff Augmentation

A software project of this scope invariably draws on the time and experience of existing staff. Employees responsible for HR, finance, supply chain, and IT functions become key members of the Workday project team, requiring their roles to be backfilled.

Our breadth of recruiting expertise allows us to fill varied roles in any department of a hospital, often on short notice. Positions filled by our recruiters to support the NGHS project ranged from AP supervisors and payroll managers to HR generalists and MMIS managers. As a result, hiring managers across the organization now turn to our firm regularly for ongoing staffing needs outside of the Workday initiative.

Results

Pandemic priorities delayed project completion in 2021, but as the patient surge lessened, the project regained momentum and is scheduled for Go-Live in 2022. Healthcare IT Leaders continues to work closely with NGHS leadership as a primary partner in support of its Workday transformation. Our subject matter experts and consultants:

• Manage and maintain multiple legacy ERP applications
• Provide level 2 and level 3 support through our managed help desk services
• Lead multiple workstreams associated with the implementation, including operational workflows for the transition to Workday
• Provide data mapping services
• Backfill operational and functional roles across multiple departments, including finance and HR

“We know we can count on Healthcare IT Leaders. You understand us and our culture, and you’ve built deep relationships across our organization,” said Michael McGee, NGHS, Director of Applications.