Need All Input – staff versus threads

[Nate Kruse]

All-

We are trying to gauge the clovertech average for the number of interface analysts versus the number of threads at a hospital/site.  We want to be able to somewhat predict our future personnel growth as well as be able to prove to management that our requests can be backed by other hospitals….we are also curious  😀

Of course each hospital is different in the way they use cloverleaf and have it configured, but at least we can start somewhere.  I also realize that interface work is more than just cloverleaf.

Please let us all know the following:

 1. How many threads and sites are in your production environment?

 2. How many interface analysts (or resources) do you have working on cloverleaf or interface work?

 3. Do you feel that your number of interface analysts is adequate?

_ _ _ _ _

My Answers:

 1. We currently have 4 sites with 129 threads combined.  We will be implementing around 20 new threads in the next 6 months.

 2. We have 4 full time employees (3 full time analysts and 1 project manager who is also doing the work of an analyst).  All 4 employees interact with cloverleaf daily and do a lot of other upstream and downstream system support.

 3. Our workload is manageable; however, it would be ideal to have the project manager position do less interface tasks.  We all are working on multiple projects that will all have cloverleaf tasks.

Thanks,

Nate.

Topic

[Jim Beall]

1.

[Jennifer Higbie]

We have 3 production sites running 87 threads.

One full time programmer/analyst working with Cloverleaf that also does  some iSeries programming.  Although we have 4 other iSeries programmer/analysts/web developers on staff, they do not do Cloverleaf work.

For the most part, I feel like I’m capable of keeping up.

[Tom Rioux]

Here is what we have…..

1. 716 threads in 19 production sites

2.  8 staff members that break down as follows:

    1- Project Manager (can’t even spell Cloverleaf let alone work on it)

    2- Programmer/Analysts that work with Cloverleaf but their primary responsibility is the EMPI system.  For the most part they build/maintain only those threads that pertain to EMPI.

    5- Full time Cloverleaf analysts (although one spends about half the time right now doing PM type work for the Eclipsys project.)

3.  We currently are down one programmer and are looking for a Cloverleaf analyst.  

Tom Rioux

Baylor Health Care System

Dallas, TX

[Scott Lee]

1) 91 threads in 17 processes in 3 sites.

2) One analyst, full time, Level two certified.  I also am the Unix Administrator and backup support for a few other applications.

3) Not adequate.  We should have two Analysts >75% dedicated to interfaces.

[Alan James]

1. 1 production site with 71 threads –> we also have a test site, and a qa site

2. just me, but I wear lots of hats, and am by no means full time just with my engine responsibilities (I do reporting, application interfaces, general system and technical analyst functions…)

3. Wish I had more time to get really proficient, but I feel like I keep up well enough… 🙄

[Courtney Bush]

1.  We have 8 sites (three markets) with 159 threads and 30 processes combined.  In the next year, our largest projects consist of a new EMR (30 interfaces) and replacing an entire HIS (50 interfaces).  We hope to be upgrading from 5.3Rev1 HA to 5.6 HA shortly after McKesson QAs 5.6.

2.  We have FT architect (myself), a FT developer, and another architect that spends probably 40% of their time on interfaces.  We have an Ops staff that monitors Production interfaces 24×7 and handles first tier support (initial contact of analysts, vendors for connection/queue issues).

3.  Non-discretionary time is completely manageable (we haven’t had an off-hours call in over three months).  Our discretionary time is up and down, depending on the project load at the time.  Right now we’re staffed where we need to be to handle the next year.

[Vince Angulo]

1.

[Gary Atkinson]

1. 50 threads, 1 site (about 60 in test on 2 sites)

2. One, me.

3. For the most part yes, but I also work in the Cerner Millenium system.

[Chris Brossette]

We have 2 live sites with 13 processes and 113 threads.  These are mirrored in test, train and development.

We have 4 on our team – me as team manager and 3 interface specialists.  We unfortunately do more than interface work – application and department support.  My time is split between managing the team, interface projects, AIX server admin, etc.

Plenty of hands but too many ‘other’ tasks that distract from interface development.  I try to protect my team members from unnecessary tasks but we all have to wear many hats.

[Richard Hart]

We have

Prod

   62 sites

  391 threads

Test/Dev

   91 sites

 700+ threads

We have a team of two who are managed by a non-Cloverleaf manager. Both members of the team have other duties.

Operations (24×7) have procedures to handle most issues and only request oncall support if the issue remain unresolved after followinfg the procedures.

We support message translation/delivery for a number of hospitals PAS and LAB applications, so many of of our sites are setup the ‘same’ and share code.

[Robert Kersemakers]

1. One prodcution site with 92 threads in 12 processes.

2. We are with 2 specialists (one fairly new) and my manager used to do a lot of Cloverleaf work too, but is focussing on managing stuff more and more.

3. Right now we can handle the demand. Hospital will move into a completely new building though in 4 months and some new systems are still to be implemented, so it’s going to be a busy time…

Zuyderland Medisch Centrum; Heerlen/Sittard; The Netherlands

[Alice Kazin]

We have 170 threads in 9 production sites.   We have 3 full time analysts.  Sometimes we find the workload manageable but other times we can barely keep up with the workload.  Right now we are managing OK.

[Author]

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