Norman Regional Health System (NRHS) deployed Imprivata's Enterprise Access Management and VMware Horizon View, both sold and implemented by Forward Advantage, to solve various challenges including:
A cumbersome log-on process that wasted valuable time
Forgotten passwords among physicians and other clinical staff
Security risks due to staff inconsistently logging off at workstations
Today, the health system boasts 95% single sign-on usage across its campuses. Multiple, complex passwords are replaced with one network password for over 150 applications.
Tap in and tap out
With single sign-on, end users at NRHS tap their badge to a workstation and enter a single password to log into their systems and applications. After this, a grace period goes into effect during which passwords do not need to be reentered for a certain amount of time. This saves physicians and other users valuable time during a shift and eliminates the tedious re-entry of passwords. Additionally, a simplified log-on process using a single password encourages better security practices. End users are more likely to log off workstations when moving to a new area, and they and are less likely to write down passwords and store them in unsecured locations.
Roaming with VMware VDI
Combining single sign-on with VMware Horizon View adds another layer of convenience for NRHS’s clinicians. It allows a clinician to roam by disconnecting a session on one workstation and picking up exactly where they left off on another.
For instance, a clinician can lock a workstation without having to log out of the EMR by simply tapping his or her badge. They can then re-tap their badge in a patient room and be automatically brought to the same screen they were viewing at the previous station.
An unexpected benefit
When asked if users at NRHS experienced any additional benefits since our last case study, Delgado provided an unexpected response. He shared that VMware Horizon View played a significant role during disaster recovery after Oklahoma was hit by a massive tornado in 2013. The tornado was a rare category EF5 with winds topping 200 miles per hour. Here’s what he had to say about the experience:
“The main benefits of Enterprise Access Management are still the same – time savings, faster access to applications, and reduced frustration associated with passwords. However, we did realize a major benefit when our area was hit by a severe tornado. The VMware Horizon View setup we have in place really helped us out. We were able to move the doctors’ offices onto other workstations. We set them up with a machine, and they were back to work very quickly. That was a huge timesaver.”
The takeaway
Forward Advantage is grateful for the opportunity to periodically touch base with customers. It’s a learning experience for everyone, as we gain insight into opportunities for product and service improvements. We also learn of unusual use cases – like our solutions helping after a tornado! We have been fortunate enough to profile a variety of healthcare organizations on single sign-on and VDI, and the benefits are always impressive – especially the time savings. More time in a physician’s day equals more time with patients – a common goal for all.
Interested in learning more about Enterprise Access Management or our Virtual Desktop solutions and services? Reach out to one of our experts!
