proposed replacement for this system
would be known as the "Service
Management System" (SMS) and be
developed through a mix of a BPM tool
configured over an Oracle database. SMS
would deliver management of all service
provision to our members, including the
authorisation and provision of clinical
services across the network of providers.
Why BPM?
During the development of the IS Strategy
the use of BPM as a business logic layer
was identified as an effective way of
achieving our goals.
The use of a BPM tool that creates a user
environment based on mapped processes
offers developers greater opportunity to
achieve that elusive quality; system agility.
It also provides a rapid development and
deployment environment, which in turn
delivers responsive solutions that can be
prototyped and rolled-out quicker than in
traditional `waterfall' systems development.
Using BPM to build new applications
forces an organisation to review the
processes involved. This means that current
processes that have evolved due to current
systems and/or functionality can be
replaced, streamlined or discarded. The
business can focus on what it needs from its
technology to achieve its goals. Let the new
Benenden Healthcare Society
is a mutual not-for-profit healthcare
provider run solely for the benefit of its
members. It offers discretionary, non-acute
clinical care and tertiary healthcare services
primarily to people who work in the public
sector. The multi-award winning Benenden
Hospital in Kent is an independent hospital
with charitable status and is a subsidiary of
the Society. It is supplemented by a number
of regional contracted treatment centres
across the UK, giving members local access
to clinical and specialist treatment.
The Challenges
A number of challenges face the Society
that have driven changes that are enabled
by technology and systems. The improving
NHS waiting times could reduce the
marketing potential of a discretionary
health service that has traditionally been
seen as a "top-up" to the NHS. At the same
time it is widely accepted that government
funding through taxation of Health
Services in the UK cannot keep up with
demand and at some point we may all need
additional health services from other
organisations outside of the NHS.
There has been a lack of investment at
the Society over a number of years which
has resulted in a range of disparate systems
that are not joined up and do not share
commonality. This is compounded by the
two sites in York and Kent having separate
IT departments and strategies.
46 ITadviser Winter 2009
health sector case study
BPM and the
Benenden
Healthcare
Society
Strategy
In 2006 the Society engaged external
consultants to help review and develop the
IS Strategy, investment and business fit.
The IS strategy was ratified by the
management board in 2007 and identified a
number of investments needed over the
following 3 years. The strategy is governed
by an IS Programme Steering Board
(ISPSB) which is made up of key
stakeholders including from the elected
Committee, Executive Board and other
Senior Managers.
The Strategy has a number of basic
principles and standards that investment,
development and acquisition projects need
to adhere to:
l To enable an "enterprise mindset"; that
data and systems are a corporate
resource irrespective of location
l Enable a fully "joined up organisation"
l Reduce overhead of disparate systems
l To focus on front end service provision
rather than back office systems
l Enable business growth through system
agility
l Systems requirements are to be future
based
l Minimise duplication
To realise these standards and goals BPM
and Service Orientation were seen as
fundamental building blocks.
A system targeted for early replacement
was the case management system. The

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