Adelaide City General Practice is a leading healthcare provider, offering a wide range of medical services to the community. Committed to delivering exceptional patient care and maintaining high standards of medical practice, the practice has established itself as a reliable and trusted institution in the healthcare industry.
Initial IT Infrastructure
Before the migration, Adelaide City General Practice relied on an on-premise server solution that hosted their Medical Director practice management software. While functional, this setup presented several limitations and challenges:
- Lack of scalability and flexibility
- High maintenance costs and resource allocation
- Limited remote access capabilities for doctors and staff
- Inadequate disaster recovery and business continuity planning
Recognising these constraints, the practice sought a more robust, scalable, and secure IT infrastructure to support its growing needs.
Transformation Process
Planning and Strategy
Otaris initiated the transformation with a thorough assessment of Adelaide City General Practice’s existing IT infrastructure and requirements. This involved:
- Evaluating current hardware and software assets
- Identifying key pain points and areas for improvement
- Developing a migration strategy that aligned with the practice’s goals
Migration to Amazon Web Services (AWS)
The core of the digital transformation involved migrating the practice’s on-premise server solution to AWS. This migration process included:
- Setting up a secure and scalable AWS environment
- Migrating the Medical Director practice management software to AWS
- Ensuring data integrity and security throughout the migration
The use of AWS provided several advantages:
- Scalability: AWS allowed the practice to scale its infrastructure based on demand, ensuring optimal performance and cost-efficiency.
- Flexibility: The cloud environment provided greater flexibility in managing and accessing resources.
- Security: AWS’s robust security measures and compliance with ISO27001 ensured the protection of sensitive patient data.
Cybersecurity Framework ISO27001
Otaris implemented a comprehensive cybersecurity framework based on ISO27001 standards to safeguard the practice’s data and IT assets. This involved:
- Conducting a risk assessment to identify potential threats and vulnerabilities
- Implementing security controls to mitigate identified risks
- Establishing policies and procedures for data protection and incident response
Deployment of Microsoft 365
To enhance collaboration and communication, Microsoft 365 was deployed across the practice. This included:
- Email and Communication: Microsoft 365’s Outlook and Teams facilitated seamless communication among doctors and staff, both on-site and emotely.
- Collaboration: SharePoint and OneDrive enabled secure document sharing and collaboration, improving workflow efficiency.
- Video Conferencing: Microsoft Teams provided a platform for virtual meetings and consultations, supporting remote work and patient interactions.
Secure Remote Work with DUO MFA
The transformation also focused on enabling secure remote work for doctors and staff. DUO Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) was implemented to ensure secure access to the practice’s systems and data. This included:
- Setting up DUO MFA for all remote access points
- Training staff on the use of MFA for secure login
- Monitoring and managing remote access to prevent unauthorised access
Business Continuity Planning and Disaster Recovery
- A key aspect of the digital transformation was enhancing business continuity planning and disaster recovery capabilities. Otaris implemented the following measures:
- Data Backup: Regular backups of critical data were configured to ensure data availability and integrity in case of a disaster.
- Disaster Recovery Plan: A comprehensive disaster recovery plan was developed, outlining steps for data restoration and system recovery.
- Testing and Validation: Regular testing of the disaster recovery plan ensured its effectiveness and readiness for any eventuality.
Network Operations Centre Monitoring
To maintain the integrity and performance of the IT environment, a Network Operations Centre (NOC) was established to monitor the entire infrastructure. This included:
- Real-time monitoring of network performance and security
- Proactive identification and resolution of potential issues
- Regular reporting and analysis to ensure optimal system performance
