• Huron Companies
    • Innosight
    • Studer Education
  • Submit RFP
  • Careers
  • Technology Partners
  • Contact Us
  • About Us
  • Favorites
Huron Logo Huron Logo
  • Expertise
    • Business Operations
    • Care Transformation
    • Consumer Transformation
    • Digital
    • Organizational Transformation
    • Research Enterprise
    • Strategy & Innovation
    • Upcoming Huron Events

      View Events
  • Industry
    • Education
    • Energy & Utilities
    • Financial Services
    • Healthcare
    • Industrials & Manufacturing
    • Life Sciences
    • Public Sector
    • See All
    • We collaborate with the best and brightest in technology.

      Learn More About Our Partners
  • Our Experts
    • View All Expert Bios
    • Find an expert specialized in your industry.

      Book a Speaker
  • Insights
    • Articles
    • Case Studies
    • Research
    • Get the latest insights and updates from our experts.

      View All Insights
  • Investor Relations
    • News
    • Events
    • Financial
    • Stock Info
    • Corporate Governance
    • See All
    • Learn more about Huron and our most recent financial results.

      Investor Presentation
  • Contact Us
  • Expertise
    Expertise
    Business OperationsCare TransformationConsumer TransformationDigitalOrganizational TransformationResearch EnterpriseStrategy & Innovation

    Upcoming Huron Events

    View Events
  • Industry
    Industry
    EducationEnergy & UtilitiesFinancial ServicesHealthcareIndustrials & ManufacturingLife SciencesPublic SectorSee All

    We collaborate with the best and brightest in technology.

    Learn More About Our Partners
  • Our Experts
    Our Experts
    View All Expert Bios

    Find an expert specialized in your industry.

    Book a Speaker
  • Insights
    Insights
    ArticlesCase StudiesResearch

    Get the latest insights and updates from our experts.

    View All Insights
  • Investor Relations
    Investor Relations
    NewsEventsFinancialStock InfoCorporate GovernanceSee All

    Learn more about Huron and our most recent financial results.

    Investor Presentation
  • Careers
    Careers
    Join Our Talent CommunitySearch Open PositionsBenefits
  • About Huron
    About Huron
    The Huron DifferenceOur People & ValuesMaking an ImpactOur ResultsInvestor RelationsLocations
  • Help & Support
    Help & Support
    Contact UsSubmit an RFPBook a Speaker
  • Privacy
    Privacy
    Privacy StatementTerms & ConditionsCookies PolicyFraudulent OffersLabor Condition Applications
  • Contact Us
  • Favorites
    Recent Favorites
    You have no saved content.

Lessons From a University Health System's Cloud Journey

Favorite Bookmark
Download Email Subscribe Print Contact Us

The University of Kansas Health System (TUKHS) embarked on a journey to implement a cloud-based Workday enterprise resource planning (ERP) solution. Over the course of two years, TUKHS successfully completed a full-suite implementation with Huron as its adviser. Going beyond the goals of being on time and on budget, TUKHS streamlined operations and increased savings. How did the leaders at TUKHS approach this full-suite implementation, and what lessons did they learn along the way?

Summary

  • With its main legacy system sunsetting, TUKHS wanted to take the opportunity to evolve and streamline operations into one new system.
  • TUKHS engaged Huron throughout the entire process, working with the consultancy to select Workday as the cloud ERP vendor and implementing the full solution.
  • Through the implementation, TUKHS gained operational efficiencies, engaged in consistent reporting, optimized staff skills, and improved collaboration.

Challenge

For The University of Kansas Health System (TUKHS), an academic medical center encompassing facilities in Kansas City, Great Bend, Hays, Larned and Topeka, Kansas, nothing is more critical than ensuring access to quality care for patients. The enterprise systems supporting this care needed to reflect that.

The legacy enterprise business management suite that TUKHS had been using for more than 20 years was outdated — with backups and updates all needing to be done on-premises. Processes were manual and many were still paper-based. Additionally, having acquired rural clinics and hospitals over the years, TUKHS could not gain any economies of scale and integration, due to differing ERP systems. With its main legacy system sunsetting, TUKHS wanted to take the opportunity to evolve and streamline operations into one new system.

Approach

It was a multistep process. The first part was an assessment-readiness phase, determining a new system's exact needs and requirements. When it came time to select a vendor and an implementation adviser, Tammy Shepherd, the ERP program director at TUKHS, knew that the team needed a solid collaborator to help them implement the solution.

“To use an analogy, we were using a rotary dial landline phone, and we were getting the newest model of iPhone,” Shepherd said. “What we needed was a partner with immense healthcare knowledge who could help us with change management. We didn't want to just keep doing things the way they used to be; we wanted a fresh start with new automated processes.”

TUKHS engaged with Huron for the initial readiness phase. Due to the strong relationships cultivated between the teams, TUKHS retained its relationship with Huron throughout the entire process, working with the consultancy to select Workday as the cloud ERP vendor and implementing the full solution.

Many organizations decide to implement a single system first and then build out the full suite one module at a time. Knowing they would have to implement the system across multiple campuses and hospitals, the TUKHS leaders didn’t want to go back and forth with the integrations. They decided to do a full-suite Workday implementation all at once, encompassing human resources, payroll, finance, supply chain and budgeting. Over the 18-month project, TUKHS went through different stages, determining success through various measures and engaging effective change management practices to ensure a smooth return to operations.

Outcomes and Lessons Learned

Throughout the process, TUKHS and Huron engaged in intentional knowledge transfers to ensure that TUKHS was set up for success and knew what to expect once the implementation was complete. This knowledge transfer involved an assessment of the team’s knowledge as well as additional education if areas were found lacking in the necessary information.

Despite the challenges of working amid a pandemic, the implementation was widely successful. By terminating the 18 legacy systems, TUKHS saved $2.5 million annually. The team reduced more than 2,100 custom reports to 400 and removed all paper processes. Overall, TUKHS employees were now less siloed and had self-service access to Workday transactions and information. The team saw success in more qualitative ways, as well.

“Our number one goals were uninterrupted patient care and workers getting their paychecks. We could deal with everything else. Hospital operations continued, and everyone got paid — to me, that was success enough,” Shepherd said. “From an external perspective, though, Workday told us that we were the most successful full suite implementation of our size. That felt good to hear.”

When asked what wisdom she would pass on to another health system undergoing a similar implementation, Shepherd offered the following advice: “Choose your implementation partner wisely. If you're wanting change management as we did, then engage with a partner that has that expertise and can evolve operations with you. Make sure you've got strong governance across your functional team.”

TUKHS gained operational efficiencies, engaged in consistent reporting, optimized staff skills, and improved collaboration through its Workday implementation. By using flexible technology that can be adapted for the future, TUKHS can continue to focus on its mission of providing outstanding service, patient care, and education to its community and beyond.

Favorite Bookmark
Contact Us Download Email Subscribe Print
Contact Us
Digital Organizational Transformation Enterprise Solutions and Analytics Education Public Health System or Hospital Workday

Lessons From a University Health System's Cloud Journey

  • Jason-Mobius

    Jason Moebius

    Managing Director

    Contact This Expert Read My Bio

Related Work

  • Cloud Technology and Service Delivery Together Position the UW for Long-Term Growth

    Read More

    The University of Washington used cloud technology as the spark to better serve its constituents and enable a state of sustained transformation.

  • Supporting Student Success and Institutional Viability in a Changing World

    Read More

    In this video, experts from Brandeis University, Huron and Workday discuss the challenges and benefits of digital transformation in higher education.

  • Huron Named Winner of the 2021 Workday Partner Industry Innovation Awards in the Education Industry

    Read More

    Huron was selected for its student demand planning solution powered by Workday Adaptive Planning.

View All

We use cookies on our website to provide you with a more personalized digital experience, enable website functionality and understand the performance of our site. You may review our Privacy Statement and our Cookies Policy. By using this site you agree to our use of cookies. I Accept

  • Expertise
    • Business Operations
    • Care Transformation
    • Consumer Transformation
    • Digital
    • Organizational Transformation
    • Research Enterprise
    • Strategy & Innovation
  • Industry
    • Education
    • Energy & Utilities
    • Financial Services
    • Healthcare
    • Industrials & Manufacturing
    • Life Sciences
    • Public Sector
  • About Huron
    • The Huron Difference
    • Our People & Values
    • Making an Impact
    • Our Results
    • Investor Relations
    • Locations
  • Help & Support
    • Contact Us
    • Submit an RFP
  • Careers
    • Search Open Positions
    • Join Our Talent Community
    • Our Commitment
  • Legal
    • Privacy Statement
    • Terms & Conditions
    • Studer Education: Subscription Product Terms of Use
    • Cookies
    • Fraudulent Offers
    • Labor Condition Applications
Huron Logo
  • LinkedIn Icon
  • Twitter Icon
  • Facebook Icon
  • Instagram
  • Youtube Icon

© 2022 Huron Consulting Group Inc. and affiliates. Huron is a global consultancy and not a CPA firm, and does not provide attest services, audits, or other engagements in accordance with standards established by the AICPA or auditing standards promulgated by the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (“PCAOB”). Huron is not a law firm; it does not offer, and is not authorized to provide, legal advice or counseling in any jurisdiction.