The Pirkanmaa Hospital District is a municipal federation of 23 municipalities. Its mission is to provide health care services that promote health and functional capacity and to promote scientific research and training to support this goal.
The data and technology administration of the Pirkanmaa Hospital District provides data administration services for information systems, as well as telecommunications services, such as telephone, workstation and data transfer services. The administration also provides medical technology services, information services, patient documentation services as well as archiving services.
(http://www.pshp.fi)
PMO is responsible for ICT project data collection and analysis
Last summer, the Pirkanmaa Hospital District (PSHP) Information Management and Technology services began the definition of the Thinking Portfolio in order to further develop the administrative processes of their project portfolio. The parameters of Thinking Portfolio were established during July, and piloting began in August. Sinikka Pennanen was in charge of managing the PSHP project and compiling the project portfolio data in the beginning of the pilot stage, and is currently handling project coordination for the project management office in terms of analysing the project status to management groups.
The project bureau began operating in the beginning of 2015. The bureau currently employs 3 project coordinators. Project management resources and other expert services are procured as necessary. Pennanen indicates that the number of projects in the portfolio is increasing continuously. Currently, there are around 60 active projects in the portfolio. Along with Pennanen, the other project managers are the most active users of Thinking Portfolio at the moment.
Thinking Portfolio assists decision-making of the project portfolio management groups
Project reviews are prepared on a regular basis with two project portfolio management groups. The Investment and operating cost projects have designated management groups. Projects are handled by the management groups at various stages during the projects as well as during decision-making. This model has been found to be the most efficient way to handle large projects. For smaller projects, the process is still taking form. Decision-making is guided by Thinking Portfolio reports. Management group members are also able to check the project status directly with the portfolio application.
The project managers report the status of projects via Thinking Portfolio. The project coordinators compile summaries of matters requiring decision-making, and Project Bureau Manager Tuomo Mujunen presents the summaries to the management groups.
“So far, the “Bubble Chart report” type has been the most popular one, as you are able to have a clear view of the overall status or the status of a particular project in one glance.
Management groups have welcomed the implementation of Thinking Portfolio. Director of Support Services Centre Pekka Erola, a member of both portfolio management groups, participated in the definition of the portfolio, which has helped in the implementation of the system among the users.
Nothing but praise from users
New project managers have been added to the system as they have assumed leadership of their first projects. The project bureau has published processing guidelines and provided orientation for new users of Thinking Portfolio, including the content of project tabs. No one has required any additional training, and spontaneous feedback from users has been invariably positive according to Pennanen, who adds that he has liked the application’s intuitiveness and appearance from the very beginning.
“I have been receiving positive feedback from new users, without even asking them. I have not had a single word of negative feedback from the users – the benefits of the application are clear to everyone.
I have been a fan of the application’s functionality from the very beginning. Thanks to its flexibility, Thinking Portfolio is a very useful tool. For example, the organisation structure can be adjusted in various ways, and the application also enables us to maintain and compare data from different organisations and projects.
Administrator events and customer support praised
Pennanen is very pleased with both the well-functioning application and the smooth collaboration with the supplier. He has also found meeting other Thinking Portfolio clients beneficial. Pennanen feels that the administrator events provide a useful forum for sharing and cultivating new ideas. Pennanen also praises the speedy customer service.
“Thinking Portfolio is user-friendly. The intuitive system is easy to understand even without a manual, and the customer support provides quick responses whenever needed.”
Contact information
Sinikka Pennanen
Project Coordinator
IT and technology
Pirkanmaa Hospital District (PSHP)
