AZ Sint-Lucas Bruges: a pioneer in using Workflower

One of the first hospitals to start working with Workflower, AZ Sint-Lucas in Bruges now considers it to be an essential tool. Initially, the hospital collaborated often with Amaron on workflow digitisation, but soon began developing its own solutions.

“We have been working with Workflower for a long time; our very first process went live in 2014. Today, we have 35 active processes. The platform is a strong fit for our needs, and multiple members of our team use it with ease.”
Kristof Duthoy, ICT & Purchasing Director at AZ Sint-Lucas Bruges

Seamless integration delivers a major advantage

One key reason AZ Sint-Lucas uses Workflower so widely is its robust integration with other systems: “Workflower integrates well with other environments and products, notably Mirth® Connect. Adding web service calls, for example, is very easy,” continues Kristof Duthoy.

A versatile solution

AZ Sint-Lucas makes a clear choice when digitising work processes: “The EPR should remain the master of care processes as much as possible. However, there is still added value in using Workflower to automate certain processes for which the EPR provides no functionality,” says Kristof Duthoy.

For all other domains – from HR and purchasing to many support processes – the hospital relies on Workflower.

Workflower was first implemented in the HR domain, where the hospital digitised almost everything related to:

• “Thematic leave” (parental and other statutory special leave types)
• Changes in working hours
• Employment of students (holiday jobs) and temporary staff
• Training: from request, through follow-up, to reimbursement of costs

Significant work has also been done in other domains and new processes continue to be added, including the workflow for investment requests, implementation and budgets, which the hospital is currently setting up.

Start with less complex processes

“Starting in HR with processes for thematic leave proved to be complex, partly because these involve a lot of legislation. I would advise instead to start with less complex, clear processes that require some administration but are easy to map,” emphasises Kristof Duthoy.

A good example is the e-step request process set up during renovations to allow employees to cover longer distances easily. “Even though it is a less complex process, it offers many advantages: you can track who submitted a request, when, and what was actually granted, etc. You eliminate a lot of manual work, so the process delivers a considerable return on investment,” says Kristof Duthoy.

Looking beyond the hospital

AZ Sint-Lucas is also looking for opportunities beyond the hospital walls. A process set up for holiday job applications (including Itsme authentication) is now fully handled via Workflower, and its extension to other profiles (such as interns) is being explored.

Other ideas on the table include:

• External user management and automated account creation, potentially without any human intervention
• Patient workflows, such as requests for access to medical records by patients or their representatives

Workflower as the go-to choice

Within the hospital, Workflower often comes to mind when automation is discussed, and colleagues often share suggestions and requests. One example involves a process that previously ran in SharePoint. When migration to the cloud caused issues, the team was asked to transfer it to Workflower.

“Whenever we want to automate a workflow requiring user interaction, Workflower is the ideal tool for us.”
Kristof Duthoy, ICT & Purchasing Director at AZ Sint-Lucas

Site license offers a growth path

AZ Sint-Lucas now operates with a Workflower site license, which removes any limitations on the number of processes.

“You don’t have to start with a site license immediately, but if you have many processes, it quickly becomes worthwhile. Once the ball starts rolling, you automatically start designing new workflows, and you want to maximise the use of the tool. It’s a growth path.” Kristof Duthoy

Benefits of Workflower

Kristof Duthoy sees clear advantages for both the IT team and end users.

For IT :

• One platform for a wide range of processes, big and small
• Seamless integration with other environments and systems
• Relatively easy and intuitive process design (although creating complex forms with many interactions involves a steeper learning curve)

For end users:

• One central access point to all workflows
• A consistent look and feel, regardless of process type
• Time savings: employees can focus on core tasks and higher-value activities

Tips for other hospitals

Finally, Kristof Duthoy shares some tips:

1. Map your process carefully before starting and ensure it is well-structured.
   A poorly designed process does not improve simply by transferring it to Workflower.
2. Assemble diverse project teams.
   Combine programming knowledge with process analysis and BPM experience.
3. Be flexible.
   Take user preferences into account (e.g., doctors who prefer approving via email rather than logging into Workflower to complete a form).
4. Work with authentic data sources.
   Avoid duplication to ensure data is always accurate.
5. Start with simple processes.
   Small, clear workflows that are easy to map or already run smoothly, with clear administrative benefits, provide a quick return on investment.

Questions about Workflower?

Contact: connect@amaron.be.