Finding a better way to help fund our hospitals
Client:
The Independent Hospital Pricing Authority (IHPA)Challenge:
- Disparate data-collection processes across multiple platforms
- To update critical data and data validation rules in a timely manner
- Limitations around data visibility and analysis
Solution:
- A cloud-based, big data platform to ensure patient confidentiality
- A solution designed to meet the key requirements of the Australian Government Information Security Manual
Results:
- Enhanced ability for IHPA to support their core business functions
- An inexpensive and highly scalable data management and analytics solution
- Virtually limitless on-demand data capacity by using the AWS cloud environment
The Independent Hospital Pricing Authority (IHPA) is an independent government agency established to contribute to significant reforms that improve Australian public hospitals. A major component of these reforms is the implementation of national Activity Based Funding (ABF) for Australian public hospitals. IHPA relies on a range of data to undertake its functions. This includes de-identified patient-level activity and cost data from public and private health care services in Australia. That data is subject to the secrecy provisions in the National Health Reform Act 2011. To ensure that IHPA meets its obligations under the Act, IHPA needs to ensure that data is being managed appropriately to prevent unauthorised disclosure of sensitive data.
Challenge
IHPA’s current data management environment was impacted by a number of disparate data collection processes across multiple platforms, issues with access to data in a timely manner, and complicated methods of ensuring that a rigorous level of security was applied in managing the movement of data. IHPA also experienced lengthy and costly delays with their legacy data management solution. The data latency and overhead management of this prohibited staff from timely updating of critical data and validation rules.
Solution
Facing an aggressive time frame, DXC Technology (DXC) worked with Amazon Web Services (AWS) and other partners to create a managed, cloud-based, big data platform, with tight security controls at all layers. It includes a new portal that state health departments log onto to submit their data.
DXC brought together expertise from its AWS, Big Data & Analytics and Cyber Security teams to design and develop the solution, including the complex, web application component for the portal. The DXC team worked hand-in-hand with associates at IHPA.
Results
The IHPA now has a modern, inexpensive and scalable data storage platform with multi-layered security. The time it takes the states and territories to load data has gone from weeks to minutes. It’s just as important for IHPA that the platform allows for on-demand capacity. With four major data loads a year, the system can flex to meet IHPA’s peaks. This variable capacity helps IHPA manage its costs.
The infrastructure-related costs of this IHPA solution are less than half what would be expected for a traditional on-premise environment. From the day IHPA signed a contract to the day the new portal went live with the first portal – accepting data submissions – was six months and one day, exceeding the expectation of IHPA. The AWS platform was critical to meeting the cost, timeline and capability needs and expectations of IHPA.
Read the full success story.