Agile Partnership, Lasting Results: Nua Healthcare and TEKenable’s Digital Journey

The Challenge

Nua Healthcare, a leading provider of mental health and intellectual disability services in Ireland, faced a need to streamline patient information management across its expanding network of facilities. With the opening of several new facilities, there was an urgent requirement for a centralised, paperless system that could handle sensitive clinical data such as risk ratings, clinical notes, and daily updates.

The digital application was developed in tandem with the construction of the facilities, creating a unique challenge where both the infrastructure and the technology had to be ready simultaneously. This parallel timeline demanded daily coordination and swift decision-making between the TEKenable and Nua Teams to ensure alignment on system readiness, while accommodating multiple tiers of user access and adhering to stringent regulatory requirements.

The Solution

After evaluating several off-the-shelf healthcare record systems, Nua Healthcare found that none offered a complete fit. Instead, they partnered with TEKenable to build a custom application tailored to their specific needs. Leveraging Microsoft Dynamics, TEKenable developed a solution that allowed nursing staff to capture and manage patient documentation directly within the platform.

Tailored, Cost-Effective Solution: TEKenable developed a custom-built application that met all of Nua’s needs without compromise.
Clear Requirements and Rapid Execution: A well-defined set of system requirements were set out, which created an efficient delivery.
Strong Working Relationship: The relationship was built on a mutual commitment to meeting tight deadlines.
Scalable and Ongoing Support: The success of the initial implementation has led to further developments

The Outcome

TEKenable successfully delivered a secure, custom-built digital application in parallel with the construction of Nua Healthcare’s new facilities, meeting a tight launch deadline without compromising on quality or compliance.

Since the initial rollout, a second version has been completed, and the partnership continues to evolve with new AI-powered products in development – positioning Nua Healthcare for long-term digital innovation.

Contact us to find out more about how we can help support your digital transformation journey

RelateCare’s Journey to Data Excellence

RelateCare’s Journey to Data Excellence with TEKenable | Customer Testimonial (Podcast)

RelateCare leverages its experience in healthcare and customer service, to provide top-notch contact center services. Based in Waterford, they serve both the healthcare sector in Ireland and the US, with around 1,000 agents in Ireland and a few hundred in the US, making them a significant player in the industry.

Listen to Tim O’Byrne’s (Group Chief Financial Officer, RelateCare) podcast, as he details their journey with TEKenable.

Choosing the Right Partner

After an extensive RFP process involving several parties from the US and Ireland, RelateCare selected TEKenable as its partner. The decision was driven by TEKenable’s client-focused approach, flexibility, and willingness to challenge and improve RelateCare’s thinking

TEKenable’s ability to listen to RelateCare’s needs and provide innovative solutions made them stand out from other contenders.

Tim appreciated that TEKenable challenged their way of thinking, rather than just accepting their requests without question. This approach demonstrated that they were a good partner, as they provided valuable insights and suggestions for alternative solutions.

RelateCare’s journey with TEKenable underscores the importance of recognising limitations and finding the right partner to support technical needs. By collaborating with TEKenable, RelateCare has successfully built a robust and efficient data management system, enhancing their service delivery and customer satisfaction. This partnership has not only addressed RelateCare’s current challenges but also positioned them for future growth and innovation

“My key message for you today is that we recognise our limitations. It’s okay for everyone to admit that if you’re not a tech expert, you need to seek support elsewhere. The most important thing is to find the right partner. We were fortunate to find TEKenable as the right partner for us,” – Tim O’Byrne, RelateCare

Improving RelateCare’s Data Management

The Challenge

RelateCare, a patient contact centre provider focused on customer voice and empathy, started their data journey independently. Despite making progress in understanding and aggregating their data, and gaining expertise in Microsoft Power BI, they faced significant challenges in making further progress. They needed a strategic plan that would meet their current needs and allow for a longer-term view of using data effectively. RelateCare sought a true partner who could listen to their needs, help drive forward their data capabilities, and provide a flexible and scalable solution.

Manual transformation of large datasets
Medium to high error rates in reporting
Delays in distributing data
Basic metrics that lacked depth

The Solution

TEKenable emerged as the ideal partner for RelateCare, as our client-focused approach stood out from other parties they had previously worked with. TEKenable listened to RelateCare’s problems and the driving challenges, and challenged their thinking in a valuable way. They were flexible and understood that RelateCare operates in a dynamic environment.

One of the key solutions we provided was Fabric, a game-changer for RelateCare. Fabric offered a single platform for data management, which was a significant improvement over their previous partner’s fragmented approach. It allowed everything to be under one roof, offering a flexible, scalable, and cost-effective model with real-time capabilities. This was crucial for presenting performance data in the contact center on a real-time basis.

The integration with the Microsoft Suite was also important for RelateCare. We implemented a comprehensive reporting system that allowed RelateCare to track and report on key performance indicators (KPIs) to their clients. This system provided real-time insights into their contact center’s performance, enabling RelateCare to meet their customers’ growing demand for real-time data. Additionally, Power BI seamlessly integrated with Fabric, allowing RelateCare to build and display data visualisations that leveraged the data stored within Fabric.

The Outcome

With TEKenable’s partnership, RelateCare experienced a significant enhancement in their data management capabilities. The single platform provided by Fabric allowed RelateCare to grow and add other layers of data into their systems seamlessly. The real-time capabilities deployed within their contact center enabled them to present performance data to customers on a real-time basis, enhancing customer satisfaction and operational efficiency.

TEKenable’s client-focused approach and understanding of RelateCare’s dynamic environment made them a true partner who helped drive forward not just the current problem but also in building out their data capabilities. The integration with the Microsoft Suite ensured that RelateCare’s data management was flexible, scalable, and cost-effective, meeting their needs now and in the future.

Contact us to find out more about how we can help support your digital transformation journey

How Amara Therapeutics is Transforming Healthcare with TEKenable | Customer Testimonial

In the rapidly evolving field of digital therapeutics, Amara Therapeutics stands out as a trendsetter. Led by CEO – Brendan Staunton, the company is on a mission to develop innovative treatments delivered directly to patients’ smartphones. One of their primary focuses is creating a digital therapeutic for overactive bladder, a debilitating condition affecting approximately 100 million women worldwide.

To bring this groundbreaking product to market, Amara Therapeutics partnered with TEKenable, a company known for its expertise in healthcare software development.

The decision to collaborate with TEKenable was influenced by their impressive track record and their ISO 13485 certification, the gold standard in healthcare software development. This certification was crucial for Amara Therapeutics. They aim to secure FDA and CE approval for their product in Europe and the US.

The collaboration with TEKenable has been a rewarding experience for Amara Therapeutics. Staunton praises the TEKenable team for their top-class talent and dedication. The primary goal of the project was to develop a robust software platform tailored to the unique demands of healthcare. This involved creating a sophisticated functional document that served as the blueprint for the entire development plan. From the outset, cybersecurity, information security, and data management were integral components of the project, areas where TEKenable’s expertise proved invaluable.

Throughout the development phases, the project faced various challenges.

However, these obstacles only highlighted the exceptional quality of the TEKenable team. Their ability to tackle problems and devise innovative solutions enhanced the final product. The result was an ISO 13485-compliant software as a digital medical device standard treatment platform, comprising iOS and Android apps, as well as a clinician portal backend. Additionally, a series of treatment algorithms were developed to integrate the user interface with the backend.

The complexity of the project was immense, requiring the integration of multiple factors such as cybersecurity, information security, and data protection from the beginning. Despite these challenges, the final product exceeded expectations. Staunton expresses immense satisfaction with the outcome, noting that the robust platform is well-prepared to meet regulatory approval standards in both the US and EU.

Communication and collaboration were key to the project’s success. Staunton emphasises the importance of effective communication when developing software externally. The close working relationship between Amara Therapeutics and TEKenable was instrumental in navigating the project’s numerous decisions and challenges. TEKenable’s responsiveness and proactive approach ensured that the project progressed smoothly, even when faced with unexpected hurdles.

Looking ahead

Amara Therapeutics is preparing to initiate a large randomised control trial involving 10 hospitals in the US. This clinical study will be one of the largest ever conducted in the field of overactive bladder and the largest using a digital treatment approach. Following the trial, the company plans to apply for regulatory approval in both the US and Europe, paving the way for commercialisation.

The ultimate goal is to make this innovative product available to patients worldwide. Helping as many people as possible benefit from the hard work and dedication of both Amara Therapeutics and TEKenable.

Enhancing Traceability: DNA Testing Solution for Weatherbys

Weatherbys Scientific is one of the most renowned laboratories in the world, providing bovine, equine and other animal species services worldwide. For bovine animals, Weatherbys Scientific offers a range of genetic testing services for bovine animals, including parentage verification, genetic disease testing, and breeding soundness evaluations. It also offers a microchip identification service for bovine animals, which can be used to track and identify individual animals for traceability and management purposes. Moreover, it provides a range of health screening services for bovine animals, including disease testing, parasite screening, and vaccination programs.

The Challenge

Weatherbys Scientific was using an outdated database system to store and manage information on bovine pedigrees, breeding records, and genetic data. This system was difficult to use and had limited capabilities for data analysis and reporting. Most data keeping and reports were manually created in different formats using excel sheets, making it a time-consuming process, prone to errors and inconsistencies and difficult to scale up. Weatherbys Scientific used legacy LIMS to manage and track samples, test results, and lab data. The system was cumbersome and difficult to integrate with other systems, leading to delays and inaccuracies in data. Overall, Weatherbys Scientific’s legacy systems were limiting the company’s ability to manage data effectively, make informed business decisions, and provide high-quality services to customers.

The Solution

Weatherbys Scientific engaged TEKenable to provide a solution to streamline and automate their data management processes, improving operational efficiency and enhancing the user experience for clients and employees alike. TEKenable digitised the previously manual and excel-based processes by which Bovine samples were received and processed through the laboratory for the purposes of verifying or excluding parentage and testing for specific disease markers. TEKenable built an end-to-end automated solution that facilitates Weatherbys in importing submission data from a number of bovine societies. In addition, it represents submission data as samples that are processed through the lab. Moreover, it applies custom logic for the allocation of data samples to laboratory plates. It also exports and imports genotype and parentage data to/from third-party specialised systems. The new solution automatically generates result data and provides a custom dashboard to report KPIs and the operational management of the process.

TEKenable developed a system that automates the collection and processing of samples, reducing the need for manual handling and minimizing the risk of errors. Moreover, TEKenable integrated an ELN system that allows Weatherbys Scientific to electronically record and track data, making it easily accessible and searchable. TEKenable also integrated advanced data analysis and reporting tools that allow Weatherbys Scientific to quickly and easily analyze and report on results. Moreover, TEKenable built a customer portal that allows Weatherbys Scientific clients to easily access their test results and order new tests.

With this end-to-end automated data management solution, Weatherbys Scientific has been able to significantly improve efficiency and reduce costs. The system also allows them to provide their clients with faster and more accurate results.

Phase 2 – Kennel Club

In Phase 2 of this project, TEKenable was engaged by Weatherbys Scientific to help Kennel Club automate its canine DNA testing services. The Kennel Club is a client of Weatherbys Scientific, a leading provider of genetic testing and breeding services for dogs. Weatherbys Scientific offers a range of services to support the breeding and management of purebred dogs, including DNA testing, parentage verification, and genetic health assessments. The Kennel Club works closely with Weatherbys Scientific to ensure that the breeds they register are healthy and genetically sound.

TEKenable helped Kennel Club launch their new DNA testing service to improve & protect dog health and promote responsible dog breeding. The Kennel Club sought to provide pet owners with a comprehensive DNA testing service that would help them understand their dog’s genetic makeup and any potential health risks. These tests simplify the process of genetic testing by using a single cheek swab to check a dog’s DNA for markers associated with a number of different inherited disorders. The results from these tests are automatically registered to the dog’s record and are available on the Kennel Club website. This new testing service by TEKenable provides valuable information to pet owners, breeders, and veterinarians, helping to ensure that dogs are healthy and free from genetic disorders.

The Outcome

Weatherbys now has an automated data management solution that processes and analyses large amounts of bovine data quickly and accurately, reducing the chances of human error. It has helped Weatherbys reduce costs associated with manual data entry and processing. Moreover, the new solution provides Weatherbys real-time access to bovine data, allowing for faster decision-making and more timely responses to emerging issues. Moreover, the solution allows for more advanced data analysis and reporting, providing more insights into business operations and efficiency. With the new solution, Weatherbys can now process over 500,000 bovine samples in a year.

Kennel Club provides its clients with an easily affordable DNA testing service for dogs, ensuring breeders and buyers can better understand their dog’s genetics, easily check their dog’s health and be aware of any underlying health conditions they might pass on to their puppies.

Technologies Used

Microsoft PowerApps Model-Driven Apps
Microsoft Azure Functions (for automation)
Microsoft PCF Controls (for extracting .csv files to import into the other lab systems)
Microsoft Power Portal (for their customers to see KPIs and reports)

HSE Covid-19 Contact Tracing System

On a Tuesday night, in March 2020 at 9pm, TEKenable received a call for help from the Health Service Executive (HSE) via Microsoft. The HSE asked if we could muster a multi-disciplinary IT team to support the Emergency Response Team in the delivery of COVID-19 related systems. The call went out to many reputable IT providers as the HSE realised that the unique situation could not be managed using existing IT systems and business processes.

TEKenable provided seven full-time staff into the HSE by 9 am, the day after the 9 pm request was received, some on-site with the Response team in Dr Steeven’s Hospital in Dublin and some working remotely. Over the coming days KPMG, EY and PwC also responded with small teams or individuals.

What was required of us was not known at this time.

THE CHALLENGE

The immediate need was to design, build and deploy a Contact Tracing System. The system was to be designed, developed, delivered and live in a week and a half. It was to be delivered to circa 1200 users spread over multiple locations who were drawn from different disciplines. The first team to use the system would be the Irish Army, who were busy turning the ground floor of the hospital into a contact tracing centre.

THE SOLUTION

Working long hours and weekends, TEKenable collaborated on the design with the HSE and the Army, built the Contact Tracing Application, deployed it to the call centre and clinicians using a Low Code platform, and went live within the one and a half weeks deadline.

The system receives laboratory test results from COVID testing centres, triggers the initial call to positive patients, gathers details of who they have been in contact with, contacts them, does a basic medical assessment of their condition, deals with special cases such as healthcare workers and other persons with a large number of potential contacts as well as family and friends contacts. The system is a key tool in the reduction of the rate of spread of the viral outbreak.

Contact Tracing is not the only project that we have delivered in this emergency. Others include data collection via mobile applications and portal interfaces that capture data points that are critical for effective crisis management and that are not captured in any current IT systems. We are currently in the process of delivering a temporary hospital management system that addresses bed allocation, patient tracking, equipment assignment and also working on building software that is optimising the testing of potential COVID patients in temporary test centres.

As can be seen from the image below, we have also been responsible for the delivery of many other projects.

The projects include:

National Ambulance Service Capacity Monitoring;
Fatality Tracking;
Hospital Bloodstock Level Management;
Offers of Assistance;
Lab Data Collection;
Mortuary Remains Tracking;
Data Governance Access Management and
Temporary Staff Recruitment.

Additionally, we have collaborated with other service providers in creating a Data Lake for information gathering and using data visualisation tools to deliver key data and trends to the crisis management team in near real-time.

We will remain engaged with the HSE as long as the requirement persists and we continue to bring value.

We have recently integrated the highly publicised Mobile App as a data source for the Contact Tracing system and at the time of writing (August 2020) have just been awarded a contract to implement a National PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) ordering and stock management system for the HSE. This will also be delivered using the Power Platform.

THE OUTCOME

The outcome is two words – Lives Saved.

We played a small, but key, part in helping to keep people who were exposed to the virus, but unaware of that, away from others, in enabling the Emergency Response Team to have the data that they need to make informed decisions and in ensuring the effective use of finite resources. We did all this in weeks compared to a “normal project” of this scope that would have required many months, if not years to deliver, and we did so while remaining compliant with GDPR and IT security considerations.

The author of this document has 35 years of bespoke software delivery experience ranging from safety-critical systems, financial services and healthcare and I have literally never seen systems designed and developed so fast and so successfully in the context of an evolving situation, in a very stressful environment and with many dispersed stakeholders. This can become a model of software delivery for the future.