Hackensack Meridian Health implemented an automated testing solution using PeopleSoft Test Framework

Summary

Hackensack Meridian Health, in conjunction with their partner SpearMC Consulting, implemented an automated testing solution using PeopleSoft Test Framework for six modules in Financials and Supply Chain, while automating standard business processes, which reduced testing time, reduced cross module dependencies, and improved reporting, all critical to enabling a selective adoption strategy that supported an aggressive standardization effort implementing PeopleSoft Financials and Supply Chain Management across 3 hospitals as well as additional care facilities, while also expanding the PeopleSoft product footprint.

Hackensack Meridian Health, in conjunction with their partners Sierra-Cedar, SpearMC and Appsian, consolidated HR activities from disparate systems onto PeopleSoft for all 33,000 team members, deployed Fluid HCM Employee and Manager Self Service, a two-factor authentication solution, and implemented Elasticsearch.

Customer comments

Hackensack Meridian Health (HMH) made a strategic decision to standardize and implement PeopleSoft FSCM that is currently installed at Hackensack University Medical Center to other large hospitals in the health network. In addition, Hackensack Meridian Health (HMH) has invested in implementing new modules to the current PeopleSoft FSCM footprint. HMH has purchasing Enterprise Grants, upgraded from PeopleSoft Financials to Enterprise Financials, upgraded from UPK Standard to Professional and upgraded from Interaction HUB Standard to Enterprise.

On March 1, 2016, Palisades Medical Center merged with Hackensack University Health Network and the strategic plan was to implement PeopleSoft FSCM on September 1, 2016. Within six (6) months, after the planning began Palisades Medical Center went live on PeopleSoft Financials on September 1, 2016. The implementation went extremely well, the command center was closed one-week after the Palisades Medical Center go live date.

Similarly, in 2017, six-months after the planning to implement FSCM at Raritan Bay Medical Center at Raritan Bay and Raritan Bay Medical Center at Perth Amboy, PeopleSoft FSCM went live on September 1, 2017. The implementation at Raritan Bay Medical Centers went extremely well as well, that the command center was closed in less than one-week due to the low volume of calls.

After the Raritan Bay Implementation, HMH began the planning for the implementation of PeopleSoft on FSCM for the Home Care and Long-Term Care divisions. On January 2, 2018, the Home Care and Long-Term Care divisions went live on PeopleSoft FSCM, five-months after the planning began. The command center was closed in 3 days due to low call volume.

HMH is planning to implement PeopleSoft FSCM at five hospitals (Jersey Shore Medical Center, Bayshore Medical Center, Ocean Medical Center, Riverview Medical Center and Southern Ocean Medical Center) on June 1, 2018. To better adapt to multiple rollouts and PUM update management, HMH implemented an automated testing solution from an Oracle Partner (SpearMC) using delivered PeopleSoft Test Framework (PTF) testing tools and delivered PTF shell scripts. In addition, HMH worked with SpearMC on an archiving solution to achieve HackensackUMC data prior to 2000.

PeopleSoft Test Framework (PTF) is in use for six FSCM modules to automate FSCM 9.2 application testing with PUM updates. HMH also automated standard business processes to reduce testing time leading to faster burndown, reduce cross modular dependencies and better reporting.

The PTF solution addressed several challenges that came up with each go-live:

Test Coverage: Limited resources and time, limited coverage
Testing Accuracy: Challenging to ensure accurate test results
Test Documentation Overhead: Tons of Excels based Manual Scripts and test data
Impact on PUM Planning: Testing overhead discouraged frequency of PUM adoption

In closing, HMH is continuing to be innovative with PeopleSoft FSCM and is looking to add to the current modules that are installed and expand the adoption of PeopleSoft FSCM. Currently we are exploring implementing eProcurement and expanding the use of Mobile Inventory.

Why it's great

Hackensack Meridian Health has deployed PeopleSoft FSCM to three (3) hospital, Long Term Care and Home Care each within six (6) months’ timeframe from when the implementation planning began.

The reason we think It is great is because we have been able to leverage our investment in PeopleSoft FSCM and the paperless workflow processes we have been able to build in Approval Workflow Engine (AWE). The approval process provides a paperless process that users can track and monitor the workflow process. This solution provided will provide a way for the health network to easily retrieve and report information out of one system, PeopleSoft FSCM!

HMH is not only rolling out existing functionality, we are going live with a new module that were purchased in 2017, for example PeopleSoft Grants.

Why It's Great:

Standardize on PeopleSoft FSCM across the HMH network.
Delivered solution to three (3) hospital, Long Term Care and Home Care each in six (6) months’ time from the planning stage.
Delivered a paperless solution to the network.
Leverages PeopleSoft reporting and faster turnaround in reporting.
Continue to grow and expand the PeopleSoft footprint, by Implementing additional PeopleSoft modules; PTF in 2018 and Grants module on June 1, 2018.
The PeopleSoft workflow has enabled Hackensack University Medical Center to implement a paperless environment.
PeopleSoft Test Framework (PTF) in place covering end-to-end business processes
PTF implementation achieved early results:
Total Automated Shell Tests (end-to-end): 30
Total Automated Individual Tests: 244
Test % Automated= 65%

In closing, the HMH team from Purchasing, Accounts Payable, Materials Management, Finance and IT have done a great job to deliver outstanding innovative solutions to meet the needs of the organization, while continuing to increase the strategic adoption and install new modules for PeopleSoft FSCM.

User experience

The goal for Hackensack Meridian Health (HMH) in 2018 for PeopleSoft HCM was:

PeopleSoft HCM will be the system of record for all HMH team members.
Convert all team members from ADP, Kronos, Lawson and Unicorn HR systems to PeopleSoft.
Enable Open Enrollment for HMH team members on PeopleSoft HCM.
Enable Leader Self Service in the PeopleSoft Fluid UI.
Enable Employee Self Service in the PeopleSoft Fluid UI.
Enable PeopleSoft Fluid UI for Leader Self Service and Employee Self Service via the Internet.
Provide secure access to PeopleSoft remotely for all team members to Open Enrollment, Employee Self Service (HR, Benefits and Payroll).
Provide secure access to PeopleSoft remotely for Leader Self Service (HR and Payroll).
Implement of Elasticsearch to replace SES on PeopleSoft HCM.

HMH implemented the Fluid UI for the company directory in 2017. In early 2018, we began to convert Leader and Employee Self Service to the Fluid UI and began researching how to access the PeopleSoft HCM system via two-factor authentication.

Duo was selected to provide two-factor authentication, but we needed a way to provide secure access to PeopleSoft with the least amount of clicks and passwords. In late August 2018, we had tested multiple platforms, but each presented its own set of challenges and concerns.

The last week of August, we contacted Appsian (formerly GreyHeller) and SpearMC. We explained our challenge of providing a secure two-factor solution that would allow team members to access PeopleSoft remotely by October 1, 2018.

Without hesitation, Appsian together with SpearMC took on the challenge and marshalled their combined resources. In less than a week, the software was installed, configured, and demoed to HMH. After the presentation, there was no doubt our solution was Appsian Application Security Platform to enhance the secure a two-factor authentication solution for the PeopleSoft HCM Fluid UI at HMH.

In less than a month, HMH went live with Duo, Appsian Application Security Platform and PeopleSoft Fluid UI for Leader and Employee Self Service. Within thirty-three (33) days, Duo, SpearMC, Appsian and HMH Information Technology teams delivered a creative and innovative solution to access the PeopleSoft Fluid UI for Leader and Employee Self Service transactions remotely.

The rollout addressed several challenges that came up with each go-live:

Remote Access: enable access remotely to team members
Two Factor Authentication: challenging to deliver secure access
Enabled Fluid UI: deployed a responsive UI that works on phones, tablets and desktops
Workflow and paperless: elimination of paper and ability to track transactions systematically
Limit Access Remotely to Self Service only: secured system to select transactions and PeopleSoft access
Limit Access Local Accounts and Power Users Remotely: Appsian provided a solution to restrict access via the internet

Payroll is also leveraging ePay for direct deposit forms to eliminate paper transactions. In addition, HMH went live with paychecks being available via Employee Self Service. Previously, team members had to login to a separate system (ADP) to see their paychecks. This new, enhanced feature allows viewing a paycheck in a few simple click!

In addition, Hackensack Meridian Health implemented Elasticsearch with the Fluid UI rollout. Elasticsearch is on the Fluid UI header, which is always available, so users are able to initiate a search from any screen in the self-service process.

Why it's great

Standardize on PeopleSoft HCM across the HMH network.
Delivered Self Service transactions to all HMH team members remotely.
Delivered a paperless solution to the network.
Continue to grow and expand the PeopleSoft footprint.
Enabled Elastic Search provided better performance and search performance.
The PeopleSoft workflow has enabled HMH to implement a paperless environment.
PeopleSoft Fluid UI has enabled HMH to rollout a modern, responsive UI that lets team members work on phones, tablets, and desktops.
Expanded the PeopleSoft HCM footprint; purchased 6,500 additional licenses in 2018.
PeopleSoft implementation achieved early results in the first week:
Total average logons per day: 9,000
Total Average Distinct users per day: 4,000
Percentage increase of distinct users per day = 211%

This was a true collaborative effort. Hackensack Meridian Health team members from various departments including human resources, payroll, finance, information technology, and communications together with partners from Duo, SpearMC and Appsian have done a great job to deliver outstanding innovative secure solutions to meet the needs of the organization and team members. All while continuing to increase the strategic adoption, use of the Fluid UI, and deploy additional self-service functionality via a responsive Fluid UI that works on phones, tablets and desktops for PeopleSoft HCM.

At Hackensack Meridian Health, innovation is in our DNA and we strive to foster a culture of creativity and collaboration. The goal of this initiative was aligned with our vision to create a world where: the highest quality care is human-centered, accessible and affordable; we deliver outcomes that matter most; and excellence is the standard (Hackensack Meridian Health Orchestrating Excellence Commercial). We feel we have achieved our goal – and more. This innovative solution connects our team members to the highest quality access to PeopleSoft HCM anytime, anywhere!

See also

Hackensack Meridian Health issued two press releases on their innovator awards: