solution

Project objectives

The Australian Department of Defence (Defence) set out to implement an IT system that could support the creation and maintenance of electronic health records for personnel. The initiative became known as the Defence eHealth System (DeHS) project.

The DeHS was developed to provide an efficient and accurate centralised system for managing Defence personnel health records. These records help medical practitioners to provide health care to personnel. They also allow Defence management to determine if personnel are ready for deployment and they assist with the planning of health resources to support operations (Commonwealth of Australia/CoA 2015, p. 11).

What went wrong?

The DeHS project experienced issues stemming from poor project planning, scope definition and governance (CoA 2015, pp.11-19). The budget was increased twice during the life cycle of the project. The system was rolled out in 3 years late in December 2014. Stakeholders were generally positive about the system once it was implemented. However, at the time of the audit some system functionality had yet to be implemented and issues relating to system performance were yet to be addressed.

An audit undertaken by the Australian National Audit Office uncovered many issues with the DeHS project that resulted in delays and budget overruns (CoA 2015, pp.11-19).

1. In 2009 Defence budgeted a cost of $23.3 million for the DeHS project. The total budget climbed to $133.3 million by 2014 (CoA 2015, pp.12-14). The original budget did not include an appropriate level of detail and the absence of detail was not questioned (CoA 2015, p.16).
2. The business case developed for the DeHS project in 2009 contained an incomplete project specification and was based on incorrect assumptions (CoA 2015, pp.11-18). It specified the system would be hosted internally and omitted key system implementation activities (CoA 2015, p.17).
3. Project Management and Governance were poor. Joint Health Command (JHC) had little IT Project Management experience and the Chief Information Officer Group had little input on the project. The Defence did not use the approved project management methodology PRINCE2 which contributed to the poor planning, coordination, reporting, documentation, budgeting and risk management evident in the project (CoA 2015, pp.15-16, 18, 20).
4. Defence IT projects with a budget greater than $10 million will usually participate in a Gateway Review Process (GRP). The DeHS project did not complete the GRP despite this being queried by the Finance Minister in late 2010 (CoA 2015, p.17).
5. Defence implemented standardised clinical business processes when implementing the system. However, some health practitioners did not adopt the new processes, preferring to conduct business as they had prior to system implementation (CoA 2015, p.19).
6. Training staff and stakeholders on how to use the DeHS was not budgeted for until February 2014 when the project was nearing completion (CoA 2015, p.19).
7. Defence did not comply with government policy requiring that ministerial approval be obtained prior to proceeding with the project in 2009 (CoA 2015, p.16). In 2010 they only sought approval from the Minister of Defence, while approval was also required from the Minister of Finance due to the budget exceeding $20 million (CoA 2015, pp.16-17).
8. Tender documentation noted that Defence required an externally hosted solution and ongoing system support. The original business case noted the system would be hosted internally. Defence senior leadership did not approve this major scope change prior to the tender going out to market (CoA 2015, p.46)

DeHS Timeline

• 2009Defence completed a business case for the project which was originally known as Joint eHealth Data and Information System (JeHDI) (CoA 2015, p.11)
• 2009The original budget approved by the Chief of the Defence Force and Secretary of Defence was 23.3 million
• 2010Defence sought tenders for an off the shelf solution. Computer Sciences Corporation (CSC) Australia won the tender to implement and host a UK developed eHealth system with Oakton providing project management services (CoA 2015, pp.11-12)
• January 2011Defence seeks a budget increase to support external hosting and an extended sustainment period through 2020 (CoA 2015, p.13)
• January 2011Defence signs a contract with CSC Australia (CoA 2015, p.47)
• February 2014Defence seeks a budget increase to support software licenses, training, hardware and infrastructure (CoA 2015, p.13)
• December 2014DeHS in use ‘across Defence’s Garrison Health environments. Deployment for use in operational environments, such as on board ships, remained a ‘planned activity’ (CoA 2015, p.12). Originally scheduled for go live in December 2011 (CoA 2015, p.12)

Task:

You have been appointed as the Reviewing Project Officer for this business case. Critically evaluate the situation and identify the issues with the case. Evaluate the case from the point of view of any 3 knowledge areas of PMBOK and suggest how the situation could be improved. Briefly discuss the lessons learned from the DeHS project./////////////////////////////