Kategorie: technology

Deloitte’s HealthInteractive Platform on IBM Cloud helps state Medicaid programs innovate

For decades, state Medicaid programs have relied on large, established Medicaid management information systems (MMIS) to support core functions. Historically, these solutions have been inflexible and expensive to maintain with long, and sometimes failed, implementations.
To address the costs and complexity in maintaining and updating these platforms, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) established guidelines to shift programs towards a new information technology (IT) approach focused on modular, interoperable solutions.
In response to the new CMS guidelines, we teamed with IBM to create a standardized Medicaid enterprise system (MES) called the HealthInteractive Platform. It’s a more flexible solution to manage state healthcare programs.
How the new HealthInteractive Platform works
The HealthInteractive Platform is a Medicaid management environment that aligns with federal guidelines running on the IBM Cloud.
At its core, the solution is a systems integration platform that uses IBM service bus components and provides a data management platform for data exchange and access. For operational automation, the HealthInteractive Platform uses both IBM Business Process Manager and IBM Operational Decision Manager. For security, the platform relies on IBM Cloud Identity and Access Management (ICAM). Some agencies also require a data management solution. In those instances, we incorporate IBM InfoSphere Master Data Management (MDM). We offer the hybrid cloud solution as a software-as-a-service (SaaS) single-tenant model so a state’s data is segregated.
Expanding on the fast deployment capabilities delivered through the IBM Cloud, we developed a rapid deployment framework, which enables the HealthInteractive Platform to be up and running in 24 hours. Critical workloads and data are migrated between on-premises environments and VMware Cloud Foundation on IBM Cloud.
We chose to team in developing the solution because IBM Cloud delivers the end-to-end cohesive products that align with state agency needs. We also have a deep, two-decade relationship with IBM. We know how to get the job done together.
Benefits of the new Medicaid platform
The HealthInteractive Platform helps address the challenges of heritage Medicaid systems that state agencies have faced for years. Some benefits include:

A modular IT approach to help programs reduce cost and complexity
Deployment time reduction from months to hours, providing state agencies with the agility needed to meet evolving federal regulations and client expectations
Eliminating layers of patching and upgrades that make a system difficult and expensive to maintain and adapt

Consider everything that goes into a Medicaid system: member information, medical and pharmacy claims, health care provider data, payment details, and so on. These interrelated functions are part of one large system, but also can stand alone. Modularity helps break functions apart so that each module can take advantage of new technologies, update to comply with evolving regulations and adapt to customer needs. This helps manage costs and increase flexibility.
The HealthInteractive Platform increases connectivity between modules, allowing users to quickly and easily access up-to-date information from various functions. With near-real-time processing, users can access operational reporting and short-term analytics in hours or days versus waiting for monthly or even longer-term batch reporting.
Read the case study for more details.
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Quelle: Thoughts on Cloud

5 keys to cloud migration in the financial services industry

More than ever, it is imperative for financial services organizations to migrate to the cloud.
New demands from customers and shareholders, along with increasing regulatory requirements, require organizations to have an IT ecosystem that can deliver increased agility, innovation and customization. For those hesitating because of security, data privacy and compliance concerns, here are five keys to cloud migration to reduce the risk of using cloud computing in the banking industry.
1. Develop your strategy early.
Many clients come to me without a plan, and starting a cloud migration without one would be setting yourself up for failure. Organizations must develop strategies that can meet their unique business requirements, such as speed and agility to handle customer-facing financial transactions while ensuring regulatory compliance. To do this, perform a portfolio analysis to examine current systems, applications and processes and gain a thorough understanding of the IT environment and workloads. Be sure to use tools that gather information in a consistent format so as to not end up with an incomplete analysis.
2. Determine which applications are suitable for cloud.
Before moving applications anywhere, determine which ones are suitable for cloud. Cloud-ready applications could include standardized applications, self-contained workloads and applications developed using a service-oriented architecture. Complete an assessment of the organization’s entire financial services portfolio before choosing a target environment. For applications that can’t be migrated or modernized, such as apps that require a high degree of customization, place them in an application lifecycle management process where their existence must be justified periodically. Ideally, create a timeline to eventually replace or retire those applications.
3. Secure the right skills and resources.
The core strength of a financial services organization is financial services, not cloud migration, so it’s best to work with cloud professionals with migration expertise. Where a cloud migration used to be a lift-and-shift operation that capitalized on infrastructure savings, it now includes adapting and modernizing applications to function in a hybrid IT, typically multicloud, environment. To secure relevant cloud migration expertise and technology for their move to an IBM private cloud, the Dutch bank ABN Amro signed a 10-year deal with IBM to manage, standardize and simplify its IT infrastructure. The cloud solution provides tools, accelerators, cognitive capabilities and industry best practices built on a delivery methodology based on decades of experience with cloud migration consulting. Watch the video to learn more about how ABN Amro’s investments are infusing more flexibility, agility and speed into the organization.
4. Maintain data integrity.
The financial services industry contains a multitude of sensitive personal and financial information. Loss of data integrity in such highly regulated environments could have severe consequences. Fortunately, using appropriate file-transfer tools and following platform-specific best practices can help mitigate that risk substantially.
In addition to preventing data loss in the first place, establish a way to validate your business processes and ensure that the cloud migration preserved business value and operations. It is vital to have a good backup for comparison in the case of data corruption. Also, be sure that whichever service provider you choose has validation process expertise.
5. Adopt an end-to-end approach
After migrating applications to the cloud, an organization must have a way to manage its new ecosystem, unify it from support and cost perspectives, and control risk and security. A comprehensive solution that encompasses the full lifecycle of cloud adoption, from strategy to implementation, and provides a vertically integrated solution view for applications, infrastructure and operations is necessary. Recognizing the need for dedicated cloud services, Lloyds Banking Group signed a 10-year deal with IBM. Under the agreement, IBM will provide dedicated cloud offerings hosted securely in both Lloyds and IBM data centers in the UK and will manage the application migration services to the new cloud.
The IBM cloud solution delivery methodology is built on an end-to-end analytics platform on which lessons learned have been converted into patterns, rules and other custom analytics. The solution provides a systematic approach to cloud migration in all its phases, from data gathering to migration execution and even post-migration activities.
Learn more about how IBM clients are embracing the cloud to meet future business challenges. You can also register to download the Forrester study to learn what the leaders in modernization are doing and get a roadmap to winning at digital transformation.
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Quelle: Thoughts on Cloud

What Is cloud integration?

On the surface, “What is cloud integration?” may sound like a simple question. At its most basic level, cloud integration means bringing multiple cloud environments together, either in a hybrid deployment or as multiple public clouds, so that they can operate as a single, cohesive IT infrastructure for an enterprise.
A deeper dive into this concept, however, reveals that it is anything but basic. Not only are there myriad technical challenges to overcome, but IT executives must also grapple with a number of functionality issues, namely, why do you want to integrate cloud architectures, and what sort of workflows do you want them to support?
The rising demand for cloud integration
The market for hybrid cloud integration platforms is expected to see a 14 percent compound annual growth rate by 2023, according to a Research and Markets report. The drivers of this activity are many and varied. Some organizations are looking to use integrated resources to support real-time applications and services, while others are eyeing the increased automation capabilities for back-office and customer-facing platforms. Integrated clouds also provide better support for mobile applications and offer easier deployment and scalability options across the board.
Small wonder, then, that cloud integration platforms are gaining popularity. But what should CIOs look for in this new branch of IT technology? For one thing, their platform should provide ample protection for data both at rest and in transit. In some areas of the world, primarily Europe, this is not merely smart thinking but a regulatory requirement. Another key capability is the establishment of proper authentication between data controllers and processors, since this is the area that today’s hackers are most likely to target.
Additionally, integration should be comprehensive for all use cases involving the transfer of batch data to enterprise applications. This is particularly important for extremely heavy loads, as when data scientists pull new digital assets into their workflows or marketing teams track real-time events to gain new insights or launch new channels.
Navigating the transition
Ideally, the transition from traditional infrastructure to an integrated cloud should be seamless, with no disruption or downtime, but achieving this requires a number of preparatory steps. These may include establishing high-speed, highly available connectivity and implementing a real-time replication strategy that can mirror services during the migration, even as new data is added to the environment.
One key piece of technology in an integrated cloud architecture is the virtual private network (VPN). Not only can it provide both the speed and flexibility required to move data and applications across distributed architectures, but it can also be implemented with built-in encryption to better secure data in motion.
Enabling sharing and collaboration
Ultimately, however, the purpose of cloud integration is not just to streamline infrastructure or scale up resources, but also to enhance collaboration between knowledge workers. As Mario Moura and Christine Ouyang of IBM point out in a white paper for the Cloud Standards Customer Council, the hybrid cloud’s many hosting and storage options are ideal for sharing data and analytics tools between multiple workers, even those separated by great distances.
Determining exactly how these architectures should be designed is difficult, as each enterprise will have its own requirements and operational goals. Sensitive data should likely be kept in on-premises clouds, as will data that must be rapidly accessed by key employees. High-volume workloads, on the other hand, will mostly go to public clouds, as long as there are policies and systems to ensure proper security.
By just about any measure, an integrated cloud environment is a far more workable solution than multiple disparate clouds. The deeper answer to the question “What is cloud integration?” is that it is the process of preventing the kind of silo-based infrastructure that plagues data centers from being repeated in the cloud.
Cloud integration requires careful planning, and if you lack the skills in-house, working with a trusted partner can help you quickly get your cloud environment fully functional, without costly mistakes along the way. Learn more about finding a non-disruptive path to the cloud for your enterprise.
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Quelle: Thoughts on Cloud

Process modeling is the first step to Lean Six Sigma success

Lean Six Sigma is a combination of two process improvement methods: Lean and Six Sigma. It’s designed to reduce organizational costs by removing waste, or “muda”, from a process through continual business processes improvement. By removing waste and reducing process variation, organizations can improve overall production quality and efficiency.
Why use a process model?
Organizations often implement Lean Six Sigma to improve business processes, run more efficiently and reduce costs. Getting a handle on processes can bring order to the chaos.

The Lean Six Sigma method calls upon organizations to define, measure, analyze, improve and control (DMAIC), laying the foundation for a successful Lean Six Sigma process improvement project.
The first step, “define”, involves thoroughly understanding processes. To do that, an organization should model processes exactly how they exist today. This is not a future state or wish list exercise. Documenting the current state helps all team members work together to define a common understanding of the process from start to finish. Once the current process is captured, the organization can effectively improve it by following the other DMAIC steps.
Process modeling helps by:

Bringing team members together to understand a full and true view of the process
Creating a process picture with associated data, allowing for Lean Six Sigma analysis
Increasing the ability to understand the process, which helps identify pain points and improvement changes

Benefits of dedicated process modeling
Basic diagramming tools help define an initial business process and provide a good path to getting processes off of sticky notes and into a digital format. However, if company-wide collaboration and real-time change management are important, a dedicated process modeling tool may be the better choice.
Basic diagramming tools lack many of the capabilities that lead to the next level of true process improvement. Simple diagramming tools often don’t include the ability to add data to activities such as role; time; cost; and information about suppliers, inputs, process, outputs and customers (SIPOC), which is what turns a static process map into a dynamic, data-rich process model that allows for continuous improvement. By moving to a dedicated process modeling software such as IBM Blueworks Live, organizations can input data to turn process maps into process models while implementing version control, keeping teams in sync and standardizing an effective process modeling solution across the organization.
View the comparison guide to see when you’d benefit from a dedicated process mapping tool such as Blueworks Live over a simple drawing tool.
Visit the Blueworks Live website to learn more and download the free 30-day trial.
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Quelle: Thoughts on Cloud

German rail operator use AI to fast-track responses to customer queries

A typical visit to the train station can come with some uncertainty. Is your ticket valid for the next train to Berlin? Or do peak time restrictions apply? Are there catering facilities on board, or will you need to buy something to eat beforehand?
To take the stress out of traveling, DB Dialog and DB Systel – parts of Deutsche Bahn AG, Germany’s largest rail operator – launched a smart travel assistant service that uses artificial intelligence (AI) to quickly answer customer queries by text message.
Keeping customer services on the right track
DB Dialog is the business unit within Deutsche Bahn responsible for customer communications. It receives 12 million inquiries per year, typically by phone, email or in writing.
Expectations around customer service are changing. Digital communications, such as social media, are becoming more and more popular, especially with younger generations who would rather send a text message than pick up the phone.
Eager to offer customers a more convenient way of getting in touch, DB Dialog introduced a mobile communication channel to complement its existing call center and email services. We teamed up with DB Systel, the group’s IT services provider, and came up with the idea for DB Reisebuddy (German for “travel buddy”): a virtual assistant that helps customer service agents answer questions sent by text message.
Deploying an AI-based chatbot
DB Dialog and DB Systel selected IBM Watson Assistant, a platform for developing AI solutions, to underpin the service. After integrating Watson Assistant with DB Dialog’s customer relationship management (CRM) system, the repository for customer messages, we took six weeks to build the DB Reisebuddy virtual assistant and train it to recognize and respond to common customer queries.
To learn more about how we developed the solution, read the IBM case study.
The DB Reisebuddy virtual assistant is now on hand to help passengers before, during and after their train journeys. Customers send their queries – When is the next train to Munich? How do I get to Hamburg-Altona from the central station? I misplaced my wallet on the 12:05 to Stuttgart, is it in lost property? –  through SMS and web chat, and get personalized answers back a few minutes later.
There are still real people behind the DB Reisebuddy service. The virtual assistant suggests answers based on its understanding of the given questions, and human customer service agents check the proposed responses, edit them if necessary, then send them out as SMS or web chat.
Putting a travel assistant in passengers’ pockets
Today, the DB Reisebuddy virtual assistant handles common queries regarding ticketing and timetables, leaving the customer service agents free to deal with more complex inquiries. This saves the agents a lot of time and effort, taking the pressure off during busy travel times and enabling them to respond to customers much faster.
During a recent marketing campaign, which coincided with the launch of the service, the DB Reisebuddy virtual assistant provided correct responses to 40 percent of queries. We were really impressed with the percentage of correct, automated answers at such an early stage in its lifecycle.
Looking to the future, DB Dialog and DB Systel are eager to further fine tune the DB Reisebuddy virtual assistant to offer customers an even more responsive and convenient service. With many common queries now handled by the DB Reisebuddy virtual assistant, customer service agents are free to focus on more complex queries.
Learn more about IBM Watson Assistant.
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Quelle: Thoughts on Cloud

Cloud computing patents a major part of another record-breaking year for IBM

For the 26th year in a row, IBM led US companies in patents in 2018, with engineers, researchers, scientists and designers racking up a record 9,100 patents.
Of those, more than 2,000 were related to cloud computing, “including a patent on a specialized monitor for unikernel-based virtual machines that takes a lightweight approach to improving isolation and security between a cloud application and its host”, an IBM press release states. This work is related to IBM container security research and could help organizations more easily and securely move applications and data across cloud and on-premises environments.
Another patent combined analytics, IBM Cloud and Internet of Things (IoT) technology to help engineer “the world’s smartest lake”, New York’s Lake George. An intelligent system helps identify and monitor vertical temperature profiles and gradients, which affect marine life.
Other areas that contributed greatly to the patent total included AI, blockchain, quantum computing and security.
Those 9,100 patents are the result of the work of more than 8,500 IBM inventors from 47 different US states and in 48 different countries.
Learn more about IBM patent leadership.
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Quelle: Thoughts on Cloud