Centralizing Physician Onboarding and HR Workflows at Hoag Hospital

Its hospitals and health centers dot the entire area with two acute-care hospitals, seven health centers, and four urgent care centers. The hospital offers specialized services, including cancer therapy, neurosciences, cardiovascular, orthopedics, and maternity care.  Its mission is to provide world-class healthcare that empowers people, partners, and communities to stay healthy and thrive in their work. They are dedicated to excellence, with every location designed to foster innovation for patients and community members.

Unfortunately, the hospital’s existing process was fragmented across multiple platforms, including Paylocity Onboarding, Paylocity Recruiting, SharePoint, and Excel. As a result, tracking information across Business Leadership teams, HR, credentialing, and IT was inefficient and prone to errors due to the need for manual synchronization. The hospital network partnered with Chiron IT to streamline the physician onboarding process.

The transformation project focused on providing centralized onboarding workflows by creating and integrating distinct applications for administrators, users, and business leaders using Power Automate and Power Apps Canvas over a unified data source.  Hoag Hospital’s management now benefits from improved visibility and control over onboarding processes, enhancing collaboration and decision-making.

The key technologies deployed for Hoag’s digital transformation included:

•       SharePoint
•       Office 365
•       Power Platform
•       Power Automate
•       Power Apps
•       Power BI
•       Dataverse
•       Adobe Sign
•       Paylocity
•       O365 Forms
•       DocuSign
•       FTP

The initial version (MVP) focused on core features to quickly validate essential functionality. Collaboration with hospital tech partners and health departments ensured alignment with healthcare needs.

The project was split into multiple phases, each aligned with specific tools and services:

Onboarding solution for physicians

We started by developing a comprehensive Power Platform solution streamlining onboarding workflows.

EMT solution and citizenship report

Next, we created apps for tracking event attendance and generating executive reports.

Remote access agreement solution

Here, we automated the process for managing remote access approvals.

HRIS business change request

Finally, we automated tracking and approval processes for internal HR changes.

Project team

The project drew expertise from a diverse team of specialists, including:

• Product Owner
• Business Analyst for each project
• Developers worked closely with HR and IT teams for requirements gathering and implementation

These solutions were designed to streamline onboarding, enhance executive reporting, and automate internal approval processes. Each addressed specific challenges while contributing to a more cohesive and efficient organizational workflow.

Onboarding solution for physicians

This was developed using Power Apps Canvas and Power Automate. The solution centralized onboarding workflows. It included:

• Three unique applications for Admins, Users, and Business Leaders, all connected to a unified data source.
• An Administrator dashboard that provides role-based views and automated checklists for onboarding stages.
• Integration with Adobe Sign and DocuSign for electronic document signing, with signed copies stored in SharePoint libraries.
• Automated task updates for up to 50 tasks per candidate based on clinical and positional requirements.

EMT solution and citizenship report

We designed this solution for the VP and Executive Management. The apps allowed tracking of event attendance and scoring based on specific role requirements. We generated automated quarterly Excel reports for easy tracking.

Remote access agreement solution

This enabled HR to gather information from users requiring remote access. Key features included:

• Integration with Adobe Sign for electronic approvals.
• Automated routing through managers, IT, and payroll departments.

Much of the critical data had previously been stored in disconnected systems, causing delays and hindering collaboration. By automating workflows, we significantly accelerated service delivery.

Key solution components

These include:

• Process automation (via Power Platforms)
• Event tracking and apps
• Remote access automation technology

Methods and approaches used

We followed the Agile methodology as our overarching approach. Requirements were gathered iteratively, and development was appraised via weekly demonstrations to ensure alignment with Hoag’s evolving needs.

Data security and privacy assurance

The apps and processes we automated were secured via Microsoft authentication modules and role-based access managed via O365 and Active Directory groups.

• Streamlined and aggregated the onboarding process for physicians, making it more transparent and manageable.
• Reduced manual lapses by centralizing documentation and approval processes.
• Enhanced internal HR operations through multiple automated solutions.

• Physicians reported a simplified onboarding process with all requests and documentation housed in one accessible platform.
• HR and IT teams benefited from a centralized dashboard for tracking progress and managing tasks efficiently.
• The management gained enhanced visibility and control over onboarding processes, leading to improved collaboration and decision-making.

• The onboarding process across Hoag Hospital became 20x more efficient for internal teams and physicians.
• Integration with third-party services accelerated by 400%.
• The organization achieved 100% positive feedback from internal teams and new employees, citing improved clarity and efficiency.