Management Summary
In the course of a far-reaching strategic realignment, a German hospital group ventured into a new era of medical excellence – among other things by introducing state-of-the-art IT systems in the areas of finance, hospital management and human resources. But as the transformation grew, so did the requirements: Three complex major projects had to be implemented in parallel, young project teams had to be supported and a Group-wide project management framework had to be rebuilt. During this critical phase, the experienced GOiNTERIM manager took on responsibility – with the clear aim of raising project governance, methodology and control to a scalable, future-proof level. The result: a structurally strengthened project environment, successful software launches and a group-wide project management system that can serve as a standard in the future.
Company
The company is an internationally active private hospital group with a focus on plannable outpatient medical treatments. With locations in several European countries, the organization is one of the established private healthcare providers in the European market. As part of a long-term digitalization strategy, it was decided to fundamentally modernize the IT infrastructure and thus create the basis for future growth.
Initial situation
The IT landscape of the German organization had grown historically and was caught between operational functionality and strategic scalability. Three critical systems – for finance and purchasing (SAP), hospital management (EMR/KIS) and human resources (HR) – were to be replaced and transferred to a modern, consolidated IT architecture. At the same time, the project teams, consisting of committed but still inexperienced project managers, were to be prepared for this complex transformation and professionally supported. The internal IT team was based at two locations and had previously successfully implemented smaller projects – however, additional external expertise was required for the upcoming large-scale projects. The GOiNTERIM manager was therefore assigned a dual role: as a senior project manager for project implementation and as a consultant for the development of sustainable project management expertise within the organization.
Goals and tasks
The central task of the GOiNTERIM Manager was to establish robust project governance – particularly for the EMR projects in the clinics. The aim was to create clear methodological structures, standardized processes and a common understanding of project goals, roles and responsibilities. In addition, suitable tools for managing, planning and controlling the projects were to be implemented to enable efficient collaboration and create transparency regarding project status, risks and progress. Finally, a practice-oriented, customer-specific PM guide was to be developed, based on the internationally recognized PMBOK Guide V6, which would serve as a working basis for future projects for the project managers.
Measures and implementation steps
At the beginning of the mandate, a comprehensive analysis of the existing project landscape was carried out – particularly with regard to the methods, processes and templates used. Weak points were identified and transferred into structured fields of action. On this basis, the interim manager developed an adapted project governance that set new standards for project processes, decision-making paths and control mechanisms. At the same time, a company-wide change request procedure was introduced, which significantly improved the traceability and controllability of changes.
Particular attention was paid to providing practical support for project managers. Together, essential project documents such as project charters, stakeholder analyses, cost planning and project organizations were created. The GOiNTERIM Manager also took on central tasks in the creation of requirements documents, training concepts, test plans and operating models – always with an eye on the upcoming go-live.
One milestone was the introduction of a customized PM guide for the entire Group. This contained 25 project-relevant templates, practical explanations and was based on the principles of the PMBOK Guide. In addition, a Group-wide reporting system was established for the management teams, which provided clear metrics on status, progress, finances and risks.
Successes and results
The GOiNTERIM Manager achieved visible and sustainable improvements within a short space of time. The newly established project governance ensured structured, targeted collaboration within the project teams and with external partners such as software providers. The uniformly defined Project Charter acted as a binding basis for project goals, content, schedules and budgets – and promoted cross-departmental coordination.
The introduction of customer-specific templates and documents improved the flow of information and strengthened the communication culture in the projects. The well-founded development of requirement and functional specifications made it possible for the suppliers to implement the IT solutions precisely. The success was also evident in testing and user qualification: a well thought-out test concept and precise test case descriptions led to a high-quality system launch.
The Group-wide PM Guide was appreciated by project managers and global IT management alike as a valuable working basis. The newly introduced reporting provided management with a structured, comparable overview of all ongoing projects for the first time – a decisive step towards greater transparency and controllability in the project portfolio.
With this commitment, the interim manager not only successfully implemented complex individual projects, but also established a new project management culture that will strengthen the company in the long term.
Summary
This assignment impressively demonstrates the strategic added value that professional project management can provide during transformation phases. In a highly regulated, dynamic environment such as the healthcare sector, it was crucial not only to bring operational projects safely to a successful conclusion, but also to lay the foundations for a sustainable project culture. Through the combination of methodological expertise, practice-oriented implementation and targeted coaching of the internal teams, the interim manager succeeded in creating structures that will endure beyond the project period. As a result, not only were individual projects successfully implemented, but a foundation was laid on which the company can continue to develop its digital future securely and efficiently.
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Dr. Martin Ludwig Mayr, Managing Director
martin.mayr@gointerim.com
+49 89 20 500 8695