INFORMATION SERVICES Decision Support Office Evolution of Business Intelligence

INFORMATION SERVICES

Decision Support OfficeEvolution of Business Intelligence


About University Health SystemsWe are a regional health system serving 29 counties in eastern North Carolina, and we’re working every day to improve the health of the 1.3 million people we serve.• Pitt County Memorial Hospital, Greenville

• Bertie Memorial Hospital, Windsor

• Chowan Hospital, Edenton

• Duplin General Hospital, Kenansville

• Heritage Hospital, Tarboro

• Roanoke Chowan Hospital, Ahoskie

• The Outer Banks Hospital, Nags Head

• Albemarle Health, Elizabeth City


Objective

Create and deliver solutions that make a positive impact on the strategic objectives of University Health Systems.


Solution (1992)

Pitt County Memorial Hospital became a customer of Mainframe FOCUS in 1992.Created a process to move data into a relational DB2 table structure for reporting.FOCUS job stream executed monthly via the Scheduler.This solution allowed report writers to create simple ad hoc reports.


Solution (1996)Stored the summarized data in a DB2 Database.Stored the summarized data in a DB2 Database.Allowed users to access the data via Mainframe Allowed users to access the data via Mainframe FocusFocus.


Menu Driven Reporting

This process used a single application platformThis process used a single application platform.There were no data files to process or download.There were no data files to process or download.


Evolution Catalyst

Retrieve data from multiple data sources and data from multiple data sources and platforms (SQL, Oracle, Access, DB2, AS400).platforms (SQL, Oracle, Access, DB2, AS400).Automate report execution and delivery.Automate report execution and delivery.Graphing capabilities.Graphing capabilities.Allow customers to retrieve data from a self service Allow customers to retrieve data from a self service web portal.web portal.


Solution (1998)

University Health Systems purchased WebFOCUS in 1998.Analysts were able to write queries on their local Analysts were able to write queries on their local machine with outputs of Excel, HTML, and PDF.machine with outputs of Excel, HTML, and PDF.Laid the foundation for future reporting options Laid the foundation for future reporting options such as scheduled report executions.such as scheduled report executions.


Evolution Catalyst

Needed an automated way to deliver the reports via Needed an automated way to deliver the reports via web portal and email.web portal and email.Wanted to be able to track report usage.Wanted to be able to track report usage.The number of report solutions were growing as well The number of report solutions were growing as well as the number of manual processes.as the number of manual processes.Reports that performed high level aggregation took a Reports that performed high level aggregation took a long time to run.long time to run.


Solution (2006)

University Health Systems purchased ReportCaster, BI Portal, and implemented a reporting server in 2006.ReportCaster allowed reports to be executed for ReportCaster allowed reports to be executed for batch interfaces and email delivery.batch interfaces and email delivery.The BI Portal was marketed as “Pulse Dashboard” The BI Portal was marketed as “Pulse Dashboard” and when users accessed their reports we could and when users accessed their reports we could track report usage.track report usage.The reporting server allowed reports to be published The reporting server allowed reports to be published in a centralized location.in a centralized location.


Today’s Evolution Catalyst

Report usage grew faster than the server could Report usage grew faster than the server could support.support.Email delivered reports were starting to impact the Email delivered reports were starting to impact the cost and performance of the email servers.cost and performance of the email servers.Too many places where reports could be retrieved.Too many places where reports could be retrieved.More data requests and research questions than More data requests and research questions than resources.resources.Third party vendors were competing against us.Third party vendors were competing against us.Many users that were data savvy wanted the ability to Many users that were data savvy wanted the ability to create their own reports and slice the data without create their own reports and slice the data without having to submit a data request.having to submit a data request.


Timely Data - DAMEN

DAMEN – DAshboard Management ENvironment.

DAMEN allows customers to get this summarized data quickly since the data is processed beforehand.

The use of dashboards allows management to create targets and track their business over time.


Timely Data – DAMEN Cont.

A query is scheduled and the output is sent to DAMEN for future use.A dashboard or summary report then accesses DAMEN and retrieves the data for the customer in a timely manner.


Timely Data - ArchitectureBefore• 1 Server for Testing, Development, and Production• SQL and Access Database used ODBC• Run away queries executed by developing analysts would cause production downtime

After• 1 Server for Testing and Development• 1 Server for Production• Used the WebFOCUS adapter solely for querying data sources instead of ODBC• DBAs helped analyze long running queries for indexing opportunities


Email Overhead

Pros to Email Delivery:•Convenient to the customer

Cons to Email Delivery:•Mail Server Overhead (Cost and Performance)•Scheduling issues such as delays in ETL, server hiccups, and other technical phenomenons caused analysts to have to manually execute the schedule•Report usage could not be tracked, only assumed

Solution: Culture change to drive customers to use our report portal called Pulse Dashboard


Too Many Venues

One reason customers were not using reports is they forgot where to obtain the report.

Too many reports and venues to obtain the reports caused confusion.

Solution: Sunset other portals for obtaining reports and have one primary venue: Pulse Dashboard


Too Many Venues – Cont.

Not only did we have one venue, but we created role based security. I only see the reports that pertain to me.


Data ExplosionThe need for data grew exponentially over the last decade. There were more data requests and research questions than resources could support.

Solution: The Decision Support Office was formed in 2007 to organize personnel and support the mission to create and deliver solutions that make a positive impact on the strategic objectives at University Health Systems.


Competing with VendorsWithin the last few years there have been many third party vendors that offer complex Business Intelligence solutions.

These vendors require us to create data extracts that plug into their framework. Many times the work involved with these extracts is greater than creating the solution in house.

Solution: Information Builders’ products have given our Decision Support Office the ability to deliver many in house solutions that has saved thousands of dollars.


Competing – Example 1


Competing – Example 2


Self Service Tools

There are many users that are data driven at UHS. Just There are many users that are data driven at UHS. Just a few customers can create a large volume of data a few customers can create a large volume of data requestsrequests.

The need for tools that allow their users to slice and dice the data using data marts or views is in high demand.


Self Service Tools – Active Reports

Active Reports was purchased in early 2009 as a cost Active Reports was purchased in early 2009 as a cost effective measure to put self service tools into our effective measure to put self service tools into our production environment.production environment.

One line of code can be used in programs to activate this technology.

Active outputs have been effective solutions when used in drilldowns on dashboards.


Self Service Tools – Active Reports


Self Service Tools – InfoAssist

InfoAssist was purchased this year (2010) as a “Proof of InfoAssist was purchased this year (2010) as a “Proof of Concept” to assist business users with OLAP analysis Concept” to assist business users with OLAP analysis of financial data for profitability reporting.of financial data for profitability reporting.

Users have the ability to share reports with other business users.

Software is “NOT” required on end user workstations


Self Service Tools – InfoAssist


Our Business Intelligence Future

Will continue to rollout data marts and views to Will continue to rollout data marts and views to serve our data savvy customers.serve our data savvy customers.Users will have the ability to subscribe to a menu of reports.Adobe Flex Enable will take us to the next level for Adobe Flex Enable will take us to the next level for our dashboard and self-service implementations.our dashboard and self-service implementations.Built-in training modules using streaming video.Built-in training modules using streaming video.


Our BI Future – Cont.


Conclusion

One thing is certain, Business Intelligence will continue One thing is certain, Business Intelligence will continue to evolve in the years to come.to evolve in the years to come. We feel comfortable with Information Builders’ suite of products to serve us for what the future brings.


Conclusion – Cont.

The usage of the reports and dashboards on Pulse Dashboard speaks for itself.


More To Come!

THE END

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INFORMATION SERVICES Decision Support Office Evolution of Business Intelligence