Amsterdam University Medical Centers (UMC)

GoAnywhere MFT software contributed to Amsterdam’s newest hospital system ensuring data security and uninterrupted service during a major merger

About

Since June 2018, the two academic hospitals AMC and VUmc have merged to form Amsterdam UMC. With over 16,000 people, the two locations of Amsterdam UMC work together to provide good and accessible care. Amsterdam UMC focuses on a future where diseases can be prevented and where patients receive the best treatments. The emphasis is on the complex treatment of rare disorders.

Amsterdamumc.org

The Amsterdam UMC is a healthcare system with services spanning 2 university medical centers in the greater Amsterdam region, which serves hundreds of thousands of residents around one of Europe’s busiest urban centers. The ongoing merger between the Academic Medical Center (AMC) and VU medical center (VUmc) created a challenge, as data must be shared between existing digital environments while maintaining the highest security and privacy standards. Implementing GoAnywhere Managed File Transfer helped Amsterdam University Medical Centers (Amsterdam UMC) centralizing its data-management processes, streamlining the institution’s complex workflows and ensuring uninterrupted health services to its patients.

The challenge of merging different systems

Healthcare is an inherently data-driven industry, where information security is of utmost importance. When Amsterdam UMC was planning the merger between 2 major hospitals in the region, they encountered the challenge of consolidating two separate infrastructures. This required among others seamless data exchange and access for nursing staff, emphasizing the need for a reliable integration solution.

“Despite the complexity of the merger, it is crucial that everyone can continue to access their data and work as usual,” says Mark Hoogeveen, Team Leader of EPD & Integration at Amsterdam UMC.

A partnership with BlueFinch-ESBD proved to be the ideal choice, enabling them to streamline data management and enhance their workflow efficiency.

To address their data integration needs, the Amsterdam UMC implemented GoAnywhere (GA) Managed File Transfer. The goal: to securely synchronize data between the AMC and VUmc hospitals, ensuring a seamless flow of information across the region.

“With GA, we securely move information from our systems to the new environment, supporting the merger process,” explains Mark. “We handle various file types, ranging from billing data to research files containing patient information, while prioritizing data security.”

Leveraging ease-of-use for secure data transfer

Another area of concern was secure data transfer. This merger resulted in the sharing of information between Epic, Amsterdam UMC’s EPD system of choice, and other systems. Including data exchange with another hospital: Hospital Amstelland. These are files that contain sensitive patient information subject to GDPR compliance rules, so they required iron-clad security protocols.

GA assisted in facilitating these requirements. The user-friendly interface and simple scripting language of GA made it accessible to personnel in the individual medical departments, enhancing workflow efficiency and reducing the need for continuous developer involvement.

“With GoAnywhere, we have a useful toolbox that non-IT personnel can easily use to set up new workflows,” Mark states. “The scripting language makes it easy to understand and apply, which is a great help in our daily operations.”

A grip on secure data exchange and collaboration

GA Software provides the Amsterdam UMC with several benefits. Its ease of use makes it a productivity multiplier. It has also led to reduced maintenance and system management, freeing up time for the IT department to safeguard data quality and focus on other aspects of the merger.

“In terms of security, GA helps us keep a grip on the data exchange,” Mark added. “We have a clear overview of what’s happening with a log of all the automated transfers, this way we can see if a batch was processed correctly.”

The Amsterdam UMC also plays a crucial role in providing data to various external agencies. For example, they updated their ICU bed availability with the Dutch National Care Coordination Platform during the Corona pandemic, and report incidents daily to the Safety Foundation. GA automates this data-sharing, improving its quality and extending Amsterdam UMC’s impact to the national level.

The ideal implementation partner

The collaboration between Amsterdam UMC and BlueFinch-ESBD has been fruitful, with effective communication and proactive support. Aside from being an ISO certified regional leader in data protection solutions, BlueFinch-ESBD’s responsiveness and solution-oriented approach have been valuable assets in resolving challenges and optimizing the impact GA has on healthcare.

“BlueFinch-ESBD provides us with professional support. They were very approachable and open to our ideas, which is a clear sign of their willingness to cooperate and dialogue,” said Mark.

As the Amsterdam UMC continues to evolve, there is a focus on further developing and expanding the capabilities of this tool. The platform has become one of the central services within the organization, enabling efficient data management and secure file transfer.

A strong foundation of security and efficiency

By collaborating with BlueFinch-ESBD and incorporating GoAnywhere MFT among other solutions, Amsterdam UMC effectively addressed their data integration challenges during the merger process.

The tool empowered seamless data exchange, enhanced workflow efficiency, and ensured compliance with data security regulations.

Mark: “GA has gained more functionality and become a business-critical tool for the hospital. It is a mature solution that meets our expectations and helps us make our processes more efficient and secure.”

As the Amsterdam UMC continues to optimize and expand their data management systems, they are confident in the capabilities that GoAnywhere will bring to their future healthcare operations.