SA Institute for Medical Research (SAIMR): IT Strategy & Transformation

The SAIMR provides comprehensive diagnostic laboratory services to the public and private health care sectors. Accenture worked with SAIMR to help audit its HR function and implement processes and supporting IT systems to ensure a sustainable, accurate and reliable operation.

SAIMR’s Human Resources department is being restructured to serve a decentralised regional operating model. Accenture was called in to help audit its HR function and implement processes and supporting IT systems to ensure a sustainable, accurate and reliable operation.

The two phases to the HR restructuring project are:

• Implementation of the VIP Personnel and Payroll system.
• Consulting on the restructuring of the HR department and helping SAIMR management formulate strategy.

The implementation of the VIP Personnel and Payroll system ran from February to April 2001 and focused on stabilising the technical environment to provide a sound platform for managing personnel history, employment equity, leave and payroll functions.

Employee information was cleaned, validated and captured into the new system and action to recover some of the monies inappropriately paid by the SAIMR to individuals and organisations. As an example, R2.5m was saved through proper medical aid reconciliation.

A new post of HR administrator was established and is held by a seconded Accenture consultant. Accenture will provide two or three additional resources who will run the HR department freeing the consultant to play a more strategic role with SAIMR management.

During this secondment phase the major tasks include:

• Managing the HR administration functions.
• Defining the structure of the department and role of the new administrator.
• Determining whether it will be advantageous to outsource the HR operation.
• Identifying opportunities for streamlining HR business processes.
• Developing core competencies and capabilities within the department.
• Ensuring employee information is kept current.
• Working with the SAIMR management team through the integration process during the formation of the National Health Laboratory Service.

A stable IT platform is in place to support the new dynamic HR administration and payroll system which will ensure:

• Accurate personnel information pertaining to training, families, remuneration and career histories, educational qualifications, union membership, and other employee information.
• Prompt access by HR staff to a robust IT system to handle staff queries.
• A stable infrastructure able to operate efficiently during the formation of NHLS.

The HR administration functions are efficiently managed and operated and the HR department restructured to better service a decentralised regional organisation.