Often the resources and budget are constraint when it comes to the non-profit organizations. To expand their services as well as mission, they are on the lookout for an innovative way, every now and then. Sponsors, donors, volunteers; there are so many entities with whom they need to team up. Though each organization has their own ways to generating solutions, now is the time when Non-profit organizations should become technology enabled.
The IT sector is full of management solutions for non-profits which will provide them with a competitive edge. Microsoft Dynamics 365 Customer Service is one of the available solutions. Non-profit organizations can build a single integrated system where they can record and track each data. Some major perks they derive by deploying MS Dynamics 365 Customer Service are:
– Better knowledge of the community requirement
– Customization of MS Dynamics 365 to match the requirements
– Simplification of the organization’s operations
– Stay informed with the most recent information using a unified system.
– Effective cost management
– Formulate the promotional strategies
One such case where the non-profit organization has benefitted from deploying MS Dynamics 365 is Desmond Tutu Health Foundation (DTHF). Let us understand DTHF work case and how the MS Dynamics 365 has helped them achieve the desired results.
About Desmond Tutu Health Foundation:
The Desmond Tutu Health Foundation (DTHF) is a non-profit established in partnership with the Desmond Tutu HIV Centre, an acknowledged research center within the Faculty of Health Sciences at the University of Cape Town (UCT).
The Desmond Tutu Health Foundation had implemented Microsoft Dynamics 365 Customer Service at the emergence of pandemic Covid-19. Through the functionalities of Dynamics 365, Desmond Tutu Health Foundation was able to accomplish vaccine trials for Covid-19 which were quite critical. The vaccine trials paved a way for DTHF to further expand its research projects for brighter future of civilization.
Working mechanism of DHTF
The DHTF mainly handles communities affected with TB and HIV, for which it continuously carries out trials and health interventions simultaneously. The Desmond Tutu HIV Centre is an acknowledged research center within the Faculty of Health Sciences at the University of Cape Town (UCT). Much of the research work is highly supported from the institute and participants who join the DHTF are committed to making the communities healthier. They also make sure that patients benefit from the free testing and treatment. The essential point for the entire process is to record the patient’s information, their health, ailments, and the prescribed medicines. It should also remind patients of the remaining appointments. By analyzing the records and data, researchers all around the world would be able to study prevention mode, candidates for vaccine, treatment plans, clinical trials, revolutionary innovation of new drugs, as well as pioneering technologies for TB transmission. Apart from conducting biomedical research, a socio-behavioral department strives to comprehend the intricate factors that influence the health-seeking behavior of individuals.
The DTHF works with high-risk communities to develop inventive solutions for preventing and treating HIV and related infections and tuberculosis, by merging robust academic research with community development initiatives. The Foundation has established clinical research facilities in underprivileged areas, where HIV infection is prevalent, and collaborates with community leaders to engage local residents in research studies and programmers. The Foundation’s research spans a broad range of HIV prevention methods, vaccine candidates, treatment delivery and adherence, clinical trials, revolutionary new drugs, and innovative technologies to combat tuberculosis transmission. Furthermore, the Foundation’s socio-behavioral division seeks to comprehend the multifaceted factors that influence individual health-seeking behavior.
Challenges that lied ahead of DHTF
The core of the DHTF was its tailored legacy system, fundamentally used for storing patient records and handling research participant recruitment. Although the system is performing efficiently, it was not designed to move ahead and sustenance for the future capabilities.
– The Covid-19 was the stimulator for DHTF to go digital to minimize the person-to-person contact while scaling up the research activities to incorporate the Covid-19 vaccine research component.
– The need arose for a robust, secure, user-friendly, and single source system, which was customizable, scalable, and critically, would acknowledge the anonymity of the participant while availing the data and records to the researchers for further collaborate and work on the trials.
– The OTS customized solutions would prove to be costly investment for the nonprofit organization while having its own future encounters.
Enterprise Cloud, a Microsoft Partner suggested DHTF opt for the MS Dynamics 365 that can have access to basic functions as well as personalized services to create a custom-built experience for both patients and users.
Solutions presented by MS Dynamics 365
– A new system consisting of Microsoft Dynamics 365 Customer Service and Microsoft Azure Cognitive services; identified as PIPER, the acronym derived from DHTF values, was deployed to strategically streamline, and handle the diverse range of healthcare services as well as clinical research trials of the DHTF.
– Since Microsoft Dynamics 365 is known to be highly scalable, it can offer multiple integration abilities for future projects expansion without any hindrance to the current system. Due to their uninterrupted services, DHTF is able to facilitate the smooth fulfillment of customer expectations.
– Another perk of opting for the MS Dynamics 365 is that it is a cloud-based solution which makes it versatile. Since it is cloud enabled, it is location independent. By allowing collaboration across various locations and with researchers from UCT, the DTHF is empowered to provide real-time access to data from a single source.
– The platform provided rapid and effortless preparation and customization of study procedures, resulting in better productivity and reporting.
– By employing a visit calculator that adheres to protocol requirements, it automated the scheduling and booking of participants, all while ensuring anonymity. Additionally, the system facilitated direct communication through messaging.
Benefits availed through Microsoft Dynamics 365 Customer Service Implementation
There are multiple benefits associated with MS Dynamics 365 Customer Service module.
– Gain a comprehensive perspective of your clients with a 360-degree approach.
– Streamline case management through a cohesive interface.
– Effortlessly manage your knowledge base and community portal.
– Empower your customer service with AI-driven features.
– Seamlessly integrate with other Microsoft applications.
– Dynamics 365 Customer Service is an all-inclusive Software as a Service (SaaS) solution constructed on the Microsoft Cloud, enabling you to harness a multitude of cloud advantages.
Benefits of Microsoft Azure Cognitive Services
Some main benefits of deploying MS Azure Cognitive Services are:
– Simple implementation and low development overhead
– Compatibility across multiple platforms
– Enhanced user engagement and intuitive interface
– Rapid analysis and uncovering of deeper data insights
– Streamlined operations and heightened efficiency for faster output.
How DHTF work is moving ahead?
Fast forward to the current day scenario, the latest system permits the DHTF to sign up and manage the participants of the study quicker and proficiently. Further, it also enables us to customize the tools which can be used to support the varied types of use cases.
Teams that are working on the ground level report that communication with the participants has been quite simple while facilitating virtual ‘clinical visits’ as well as consultations from the doctors to achieve the quality data. In addition, the system can be utilized in various work domains, including but not limited to arranging appointments, compensating participants, linking diverse locations, and establishing a database for potential recruits.
A key aim was to make the DTHF adaptable and capable of accommodating fresh research projects. When PIPER became operational during the lockdown period, its enhanced capabilities were immediately demonstrated, enabling the Foundation to promptly join worldwide vaccine trials. At the end of 2020, the Desmond Tutu Health Foundation collaborated as a clinical research site in the Johnson & Johnson Phase 3 ENSEMBLE clinical trial, with just over 500 participants enrolled across three sites. The objective of the trial was to contribute to a significant worldwide effort aimed at examining the safety and efficacy of COVID-19 vaccines.
End Note
On the PIPER system, the DHTF has now activated additional clinical trials for other research areas like taking care of medicine distribution as mobile health service offerings. As per the DHTF, diseases will be prevalent, but the support from the correct technologies such as PIPER will help them to sail through research and fight diseases. As observed through this case, efficient deployment of Microsoft Dynamics 365 helped the DHTF to navigate the crucial times. Dynamics 365 can offer many advantages to varied kinds of business as well as nonprofits. Looking for the perfect Microsoft Gold Partner for your Dynamics 365 Implementation? contact DynaTech at sales@dynatechconsultancy.com.
