August 2005
MICROSOFT COLLABORATIVE HEALTH CUSTOMER SHOWCASE Overview of the Cluster Project

1. Introduction
   This project arose from an invitation to Cluster members to ‘showcase’ their talents, during a meeting with Microsoft Corporation in Dallas in February 2005. Healix, one of the attending ISV’s, developed a proposal which was endorsed by the Cluster Executive and formally presented to Microsoft Corporation and Microsoft NZ on the 10th May 2005. The project team then developed the detailed project plan and documentation, supported with funding from Microsoft, NZTE and TechNZ. The development phase (Phase 1) of the project commenced on 1 August 2005 and will conclude with the Showcase presented at the Microsoft stand at HIMSS in San Diego in February 2006. Funding for Phase 1 is confirmed up to $582,000 and is provided by Microsoft NZ and the Foundation for Research, Science and Technology on a shared basis. A decision whether or not to proceed with Phase 2 of the project will be made at the conclusion of Phase 1.
   
   
2. Project Overview
   The Showcase is intended to be representative of an integrated health system demonstrating the interoperability of systems along the continuum of patient care. The Showcase is based on a realistic patient scenario; a diabetic patient diagnosed in a primary care setting, managed in a secondary care setting with a cardiac event that requires tertiary input. The Showcase demonstrates the flow of the patient (and relevant information) through a number of care settings using at least eight real applications and incorporating a range of mobile services to support the patient journey.
   
   A new ‘plug and play’ adaptor will be developed as part of the project to achieve the level of interoperability between vendor systems necessary to support the showcase scenario. The ‘plug and play’ adaptor will be based on a subset of HL7 version 3 and CCDA Standards, to meet the specific communication needs demanded by the scenario of the participating vendors.
   
   The project development is split into two phases. Fully implemented (Phase 1 and 2), the Showcase will comprise 25 “collaboration points” between applications. Phase 2 of the showcase is planned to include a business intelligence and business solutions module (aligned to the patient journey) and a number of scenario extensions to reflect workforce management and online clinician collaboration.
   
   The Showcase will be hosted by Microsoft and will be available 24/7 to Microsoft health personnel worldwide to show to their customers and collaborators. The Showcase will provide Microsoft with a meaningful demonstration of their collaborative health strategy that uses real applications targeted at relevant market segment, will demonstrate platform value, and provide potential case studies around the use of product sets and key design features. The vendors will have their products promoted around the world, and have prepared comprehensive marketing plans to capitalize on the opportunities that present.
   
   
3. The Project Participants
   The following Cluster members are participating in the showcase.
   • Simpl Group (Project Managers)
   • Healix/HealthPhone
   • Sysmex
   • Detec/Precept systems
   • Houston Medical
   • Enigma
   • Vodafone
   
   
   Microsoft are providing consulting services to the project
   
   
4. Benefits Research
   The Showcase will also be implemented in a District Health Board site. This will provide the opportunity for effective measurement, customer referenceability, and the potential to demonstrate a “live” collaborative health system as the Showcase evolves.
   
   A focused programme of research/evaluation on the benefits achieved from the health system integration and product sets proposed, will likely address the areas of:
   • Patient benefits
   • Clinician efficiency and effectiveness benefits
   • Productivity and service planning/management benefits
   • Financial benefits
   • Technical benefits
   
   
   The programme is likely to produce case studies, reports, articles and potentially clinical research papers.
   
   
5. The Governance and Contracting Framework
   Given the size and complexity of the project, and the number of participants, strong project governance and management were considered critical to the success of the project. A steering group was established early in the project development, and the Simpl Group was appointed to manage the project.
   
   The primary role of the Cluster has been to oversee the governance of the project, to develop the contracting model, and to agree the contracts with the funders (Microsoft, NZTE and FRST) and with the vendors.
   
   The Cluster sought legal and financial advice, and established a company (a wholly owned subsidiary) to insulate the project funding and any associated risks. The Cluster Company then agreed a Letter of Intent with Microsoft NZ which was formally entered into by the Cluster and participating vendors. A Development Agreement between the Cluster and Microsoft NZ was then negotiated, with reciprocal contracts agreed between the Cluster and vendors for their contributions to the project. Concurrent funding agreements with NZTE and FRST are also in place.
   
   During the project members will contribute their own Intellectual Property, and will together develop new Intellectual Property. The new Intellectual Property will be jointly owned by both Microsoft and the Cluster.
   
   
6. Stakeholder Benefits
   This Collaborative Health Showcase involves a range of stakeholders, who receive different benefits.
   
   Microsoft
   • 24/7 Access to a demonstration of their collaborative health strategy using real applications targeted at relevant market segments
   • Proof of concept of a “plug and play” adaptor
   • Marketing collateral and case studies
   • Ongoing relationships with ISV innovators
   
   
   New Zealand Government
   • Demonstration of industry and technology development strategy working successfully
   • Collaboration with a major multi-national software vendor
   • Growth in the strategic health IT industry sector
     • Increased high value exports
     • Increased high value jobs
   
   
   New Zealand Health IT Cluster
   • A collaborative governance and contracting model
   • Shared intellectual property
   • Organisational capability
   • Delivery against strategic intent
   • Project funding
   
   
   Vendor Participants
   • Collaboration opportunities with Microsoft and other participants
   • Project funds
   • Increased global penetration
     • Increased product sales and revenue
     • Enhanced company profile
   
   
   
7. Concluding Remarks
   This project provides the opportunity for Cluster members to translate Microsoft’s collaborative health strategy into a practical and innovative “live” demonstration tool, and through this to promote their products internationally. This project will profile the capability of New Zealand Health IT globally.
   
   Developing the contracting model for this project has not been an easy task. Collaborative projects by their nature are very complex and involve balancing competing interests. Now that the model is established the Cluster is hopeful that other collaborative projects will follow.