The value of an integration strategy is to streamline integration use case development and to implement only the integrations that are most useful to the users.

Angus Connect was engaged as a Master Systems Integrator by Build Nova Scotia (BNS) to produce an Integration Strategy and Implementation Plan for Cape Breton Regional Hospital (CBRH). CBRH is currently undergoing a large, multi-year redevelopment to redesign and rebuild healthcare infrastructure to support patients, families, healthcare staff, and researchers. The existing facility is undergoing a renovation in addition to construction of three new buildings:

• Energy Centre - to provide power and heat to the new expansion and the existing facility
• Cape Breton Cancer Centre - to house dedicated services for patients undergoing cancer treatments, and their families
• Clinical Services Building - to serve as main referral and trauma centre for Cape Breton Island

Initial Goal of the Project

Angus Connect collaborated with BNS, CBRH, and other key stakeholders to create a comprehensive integration plan aligned with the redevelopment project’s overall vision, and the building and clinical systems in the existing and new buildings. The focus of the integration strategy and implementation plan was to:

• Achieve a thorough understanding of existing building conditions
• Define the organization’s vision and goals related to integration
• Develop a complete list of user requirements in the form of integration use cases
• Identify gaps or issues with existing systems and recommend high level strategies for resolution
• Develop implementation documents for further planning and costing
• Manage potential risks through early identification and discussion
• Facilitate a smooth deployment of new system integration

The value of an integration strategy is to streamline integration use case development and to implement only the integrations that are most useful to the users. Often integrations are noted in
engineering design documents; however, they are generally high level and may not include actual use cases that describe the action the client wishes to achieve. Our role is to delve more deeply into processes, determine which use cases the users want, and determine feasibility. We can then produce design documents for those integrations that describe how the integrations will take place, and how to assess success.

Challenges/Solutions
The client wanted an integration strategy and implementation plan that would:

• Complete a current state assessment of the existing facility and the redevelopment design documents to identify current challenges, opportunities, and integrations that were already included in the redevelopment cost
• Develop an integration vision to help guide the organization in the implementation of integrations
• Ensure the integrations being implemented were helpful to users (not just done for the sake of being done)
• Ensure the integrations being implemented had a good ROI
• Identify potential issues or risks, such as technology decisions not yet taken
• Develop a ‘roles and responsibilities’ matrix for integration use cases

Essentially, the client wanted to implement realistic integrations that made sense for the use case, helped staff and users, were not too complex, and not too expensive. Similar to many other rural healthcare organizations, the project was sensitive to cost and to ongoing support requirements (ie. staff who know how to manage these integrations in future)

How It Was Achieved
Through leadership interviews, visioning session, and end-user meetings, we developed an integration vision and list of integration use cases to improve the user experience, allow for seamless communications, and improve situational awareness of building operations. Our team’s technical knowledge of building systems, clinical systems, and integration models ensured our recommendations were grounded in reality while also meeting CBRH’s vision for an integrated and connected future.

Key Takeaways
As a part of our current state assessment, we visited CBRH to see the building and clinical systems in action and met with users to better assess their current workflows. We believe this step to be vitally important to truly understanding existing conditions. While review of existing documentation and virtual meetings are a critical component to gathering information on existing systems, understanding current workflows, identifying potential issues, and brainstorming potential improvements all benefit from in-person consultation