Ascension’s Indianapolis-based shared services subsidiary, the Ministry Service Center, has launched a new enterprise, Agilify. Agilify will guide organizations from healthcare and other industries in the area of intelligent process automation – a field that’s expected to grow to a $2.4 billion market by 2021.
Intelligent process automation replaces labor-intensive, repetitive tasks with software automation. Software automation is a suitable solution for businesses with large process operations that are reasonably standardized.
“After more than a year of successful market testing and seeing growing demand, it became increasingly clear that other businesses and industries would benefit from all that the Ascension Ministry Service Center has learned about process automation,” said Anthony R. Tersigni, EdD, FACHE, President and Chief Executive Officer, Ascension. “By creating Agilify, Ascension is positioned to meet this growing need, and the financial success of Agilify will support our mission of providing healthcare to all, especially those who are poor and vulnerable.”
The leaders of Agilify have gained deep expertise in automation by applying new technologies over the past six years at Ascension, the nation’s largest nonprofit health system. As a result, Agilify brings real-world practitioner experience to the market across the full gamut of business-process, robotic-process and software-process automation training, consulting and technology selection.
Ascension’s shared services organization, the Ministry Service Center, began testing and piloting automation soon after its launch. It has created 10 percent year-over-year cost reduction for more than five years, with automation playing a key role in that performance.
“As we began to tell our own story of success, other companies across a mix of industries approached us to find out how we did it. From there, Agilify began to take shape,” said Lee Coulter, Chief Executive Officer of Ascension’s shared services subsidiary.
Blue Prism, a world leader in robotic-process automation software, took notice of Ascension’s automation programs. The software leader recognized Ascension’s innovative approach and partnered to make Agilify its first authorized training partner in North America. Blue Prism recently named Agilify its 2018 Training Partner of the Year.
Agilify has developed a broad range of technology partnerships and clients and a full line of consulting, implementation and learning services in addition to its Collaboratory. The Collaboratory provides technology assessments for this rapidly advancing technology landscape and has been instrumental in developing Agilify’s long-term strategy. Agilify recently helped Ascension implement its first machine learning production system.
“Agilify is aligned with Ascension’s Dual Transformation strategy, through which we are optimizing and transforming our core healthcare operations while we also create transformational new models that extend our reach and provide the engine for growing our ministry and its impact,” Tony said. “Agilify is an example of how we are developing new revenue sources and best-in-class subsidiaries that serve the needs of Ascension and other organizations, all to advance our Mission of service.”
Through its Solutions Division, Ascension is on the path to creating $6 billion in value since 2012. This is being accomplished by generating investment returns, by reducing costs for the services and supplies provided through Solutions subsidiaries, and by generating revenue through offering many of those services to other organizations.
“Our team has blazed trails over the past few years, and we’ve led some of the world’s most reputable organizations through workforce transformations via automation,” Lee said. “Now we’ll be doing that under the banner of Agilify – delivering business agility via faster deployment and instant scalability and at entry costs that are lower than traditional information technology solutions.”
Lee said process automation is providing operational efficiencies, incremental cost savings and higher levels of workforce productivity for Ascension. Software bots and other digital technologies deliver better transactional speed and accuracy, while working around the clock, he said.
“That leaves more time for employees to do what they do best, which is communicating, connecting and collaborating,” Lee said.
To learn more about Agilify, visit www.agilifyautomation.com.
