ROYAL WOMEN’S HOSPITAL chris 21 Implementation

1. ROYAL WOMEN’S HOSPITAL chris21 Implementation

2. Background • RWH & RCH payroll began disengaging in 2006. • Audit criticism and staff dissatisfaction resulted in a project to improve payroll in 2006 • The pre-existing SAP system was largely managed and operated from RCH with the RWH Payroll Manager having little control over operations. • William Buck operate the payrolls at both hospitals. • A Business Case was prepared limited to configuration and support options associated with delivering a HealthSmart HRMIS. • Data cleansing commenced well before the chris21 exercise (LSL, service margins, rates, processes, accountability, etc)

3. KeyFeatures • Business Case cost estimate of $445,000 • Clarity of purpose & supportive management • Implementation post IPS to Go-Live in 14 weeks • Total cost of about $430,000 (at 3mths post go-live) • One FTE added to establishment (systems admin) • Cost projection is expected to be slightly advantageous (confused by WB involvement). • Major functionality (HR21 and chris21 HR) not yet rolled out • No noticeable workload increase through the coding of timesheets • Favourable audit assessment of the implementation

4. Success Factors • Project team experience and hands on approach (testing software, data familiarity, previous implementations) • Consistent Team (no change of consultants) • Relationships between the parties • Approach – adapt to the system • Frontier Staff/Frontier Experience • William Buck Payroll Manager • Early start, preliminary activities (data audits, IPS, org structure) • Pragmatic management of the project • Change approach adopted • Determination to succeed

5. Issues • VHIA Salary Circular compliance – rounding • Organisation Structure and position management • Staff turnover in HR • System shortcomings – mainly retrospective payments • Finance Department Involvement • Line management access • System Admin being used as a Payroll Accountant • Lack of Functionality Testing – 5 days worth only • Documentation - We produced a series of plans early in the project that gave some form to the processes although these were never signed off by the Steering Committee – they remain so.

6. Project Management • Business Case • Preliminary IPS (anticipating the Frontier Study) • Structure • Project Plan (Frontier Progress Reports) • IPS • Communications Plan • Data Conversion Plan • Master Test Plan • Training Plan • Contingency Plan • Business Process Review (& Issues and Risk Logs)

7. Project Staffing • Project Manager 0.7 FTE • Project Officers 0.8 FTE • Internal resources were variable although HR in total probably devoted 0.4 FTE over a period of 2 months • Payroll Manager 0.3 FTE although he spent many more hours involved while he was running SAP payrolls. • 49 days of backfilled payroll support plus overtime was provided during the parallel runs • The training of the project team, HR and payroll staff was necessarily brief. Payroll had minimal formal training prior to go-live (as did HR). Additional payroll training was conducted following live operation. While not ideal, this did not seem to adversely effect the standard of operating.

8. Lessons • Data Cleansing - The key to reducing problems in any implementation is to know what you are dealing with before commencing • Start Early - A draft IPS was prepared in anticipation of the Frontier start – saving some time in collecting data and focusing thinking on organization structure • Foster a good working relationship between the vendor and involved parties • Insist on a consistent team • Look for expert assistance with hands on experience • Change internal processes not the vendor software • Attempt to get Finance buy in early

9. More Changes? • Rostered Work Pattern (RWP) application to be trialed for certain groups • Time and Attendance • Power Health is being implemented and was expected to receive the chris21 data dumps – stay tuned! • Mercury e-Recruit interface – functionality overlap with HR21? • Roll out of self service facilities and integration of web enabled training, performance management and medical administration • Rostering?

10. Expertise Recommended • chris21 implementations &/or operation experience • sound knowledge of the hospital environment (practices & procedures) • familiarity with the hospital data & practices (eg p/t working casual shifts) • exposure to industrial award interpretation • operation of HR & finance departments • hands on programming &/or access to good IT personnel • project team personnel who can contribute to configuration and testing (ie don’t rely solely on technical specialists to be available all the time) • Col Barling 0407 766 996