Healthcare System

Peachtree Healthcare system has a major IT infrastructure problem, and CEO Max Berndt is struggling to find the right way to fix this problem. He has two options to resolve this problem, he can go with a single set of systems and applications that will provide consistency across Peachtree's facilities but may not give doctors enough flexibility or he can choose service-oriented architecture (SOA), a modular design that will allow Peachtree to standardize incrementally and selectively but poses certain risks as a newer technology. Four experts has commented on this fictional case study on how Peachtree must implement its approach to fix this IT infrastructure problem.

George C. Halvorson, warns against using untested methodologies such as SOA in a health care environment. He says Peachtree's management must clarify its overall IT vision before devising a plan to achieve each of its objectives.

Monte Ford, says Peachtree can gradually replace its old systems with SOA. An incremental approach would not only minimize risk but also enhance flexibility and control and would allow IT to shift priorities along the way.

Randy Heffner, thinks SOA's modular approach to business design would best meet Peachtree's need for flexibility. He says that Peachtree's CIO sees SOA as a new product category but should instead view it as a methodology.

John A. kastor, argues that it would be difficult to persuade doctors, many of whom are fiercely independent, to follow rigid patterns in their work.

There are some serious consequences and risks involved in implementing this new IT system. It will inevitably impact the doctors, patients, administrative staff and possibly the business process. By forecasting the impacts of a monolithic and SOA system the best choice must be made. In order to insure reliability and security the new IT system must be implemented with SOA in a manner of incremental process.

I would recommend that Peachtree must implement SOA to fix their IT infrastructure problem since it provides the desired flexibility and reliability to go after standardization. I believe the best way to go about implementing this new SOA based IT system would be to outsource the effort to key vendors eager to get some healthcare credibility and expertise, which would reduce the implementation cost on the system. Peachtree would be the first in the healthcare industry to implement this SOA IT system it would benefit incredibly in the long run and makes it to provide incredible services to its patients, and more importantly to each hospital. Peachtree must also involve its doctors and administrative staff in this change management process by allowing them to participate in prototyping the interfaces like look and feel forms, etc. This will ensure that the implementation process will be successful. As like Monte Ford, I would also recommend that Peachtree should gradually replace