OBS scores deal with Western Health

Australian IT solutions provider OBS has snapped up a lucrative contract with Victoria's Western Health to implement a Microsoft SharePoint solution to the company's 5000-strong workforce.

Over the next year, OBS will design and build a SharePoint platform to replace Western Health's five-year-old Objectify content management system in a bid to modernise internal ICT infrastructure and security.

The implementation is expected to be completed in 2013.

Western Health executive director Jason Whakaari said the infrastructure upgrade had been prompted by the growth of the organisation and the rapid change in web technologies.

"Objectify was appropriate when we implemented it. However, we knew it was time to review how we could deliver what the business required more dynamically," Whakaari told CRN.

"We began the process of looking for the right solution last year and thanks to OBS we are now putting it in place."

Whakaari said the SharePoint platform was selected as an "off-the-shelf, best-of-breed" system to handle intranet and internet, document and records management and business processes.

"By reducing the vendor footprint across these key areas and having a consistent platform we can leverage common skills, technology and partnerships to deliver great outcomes while delivering a solid return on investment," Whakaari said. 

Whakaari declined to divulge the cost of the upgrade, but claimed Western Health was satisfied that the value from the initial deployment and ongoing future efficiencies justified the investment.  

OBS sees growth in health vertical

OBS managing director Andy Neumann said the deal had been inked following a rigorous planning phase that saw the provider run a series of workshops with Western Health's clinical, administration and management staff.

“By clearly outlining their challenges and requirements we were able to offer the best solution and ensure that Western Health will get the best results from this implementation,” Neumann explained.

Neumann said OBS was renewing its focus on the health sector following significant adoption of SharePoint and other Microsoft technologies within the industry.

"Health is a complex environment where system errors can be deadly. Therefore the health industry chooses service providers who have broad industry experience as well as providers recommended by Microsoft," he said. 

To date, OBS has implemented more than 250 projects for health customers spanning public and private hospitals, aged care, charities and not for profit.

Neumann confirmed the Western Health agreement was one of the biggest health project OBS had embarked upon to date