Precision Diagnostics
"Streamlining Business Planning with SharePoint"
Greg Ackerman
President and CTO
Our Client
Greg Ackerman
President & CTO
Profile
Location: California, USA
Size: Mid-size Enterprise
Sector: Healthcare & Diagnostics
Focus Areas
Compliance Training
Contract Management
Policy Management
Technology
Power Automate
Power BI
Microsoft 365
Microsoft Teams
SharePoint
Viva Learning
Transforming Policy Management and Compliance with Microsoft 365
- Meet the Client
Precision Diagnostics LLC, based in San Diego, California, is a healthcare-focused laboratory specialising in toxicology and diagnostic testing with over 500 employees.
Rapid growth introduced operational complexities; the reliance on quick-fix, standalone software solutions resulted in increased IT management overhead and introduced information silos. Although Precision Diagnostics had invested in Microsoft 365, they had yet to fully leverage its potential as a unified platform for business solutions.
- The Challenges
Greg Ackerman, President and CTO at Precision Diagnostics, recognised the common pitfall of fragmented software adoption. “We are a laboratory, but make no mistake - we are a technology company,” he stated, emphasising their technology-driven approach.
He observed that many organisations, when seeking software, follow an impulsive selection process: “They go straight to Google, type ‘I need project management software,’ and what returns is a page and a half of sponsored links. They then just buy it, and before you know it, you have a lot of siloed information that doesn’t work together.”
Determined to avoid this scenario, Precision Diagnostics, already facing a “mess of systems” made a strategic commitment to Microsoft 365 for its integrated nature. “We zeroed in very quickly on Microsoft 365 and decided we would use those tools whenever possible.”
Their most pressing challenge was their outdated policy management system, which was critical for compliance in a regulated laboratory.
- “We had the tools, but we didn’t have the ability to assemble them as elegantly as Information EXP did. Offloading this work saved us significant time and brought in skill we didn’t have in-house.”
- The Partner
Precision Diagnostics discovered Information EXP through the Microsoft community. Ackerman was drawn to their specialised approach, leveraging Microsoft 365 technologies, including SharePoint and the Power Platform, to build scalable and business-focused solutions.
This collaborative success has already led to two additional projects and an ongoing support contract for their SharePoint platform:
• Contract Management Solution – Centralising contracts with insurance providers and hospitals within a SharePoint portal.
• Compliance Training Solution – Using Viva Learning and Power Apps to support HIPAA training with audit-ready records.
- “We realised we could deploy their policy management solution within our own Microsoft 365 environment - without being tied to proprietary software. Information EXP configured their solution to fit our needs, giving us the flexibility of a consultative, hybrid approach that leveraged our Microsoft investment.”
- The Solution
From problem definition to solution delivery, Precision Diagnostics experienced a seamless engagement with Information EXP.
Information EXP’s Policy Management System, “Policy Express”, was implemented rapidly: "From the first meeting to rollout, it took about four months," said Ackerman. “Much of that time was for us to invest in improving the level of consistency in our policies, a key added benefit to this project”.
Knowing that the technical foundation was built on common Microsoft tools: SharePoint lists and document libraries, the Power Platform (Power BI, Power Automate, and Power Apps). This gave Precision Diagnostics confidence in both the solution’s alignment with its platform strategy and the freedom from being tied to a supplier’s proprietary systems.
This approach also allowed for technical modifications to meet Precision Diagnostics’ specific requirements. One key need was aligning notifications with their internal communication policies. "All internal communication must be done over Teams, so we worked with Information EXP to shift alerts and notifications into Teams instead of email."
- The Outcome
The impact of Information EXP’s solutions was immediate, delivering both operational efficiencies and cost savings.
Automated Alerts for Orphaned Policies: “One of the best features is an automated alert for orphaned policies. This single feature justified the entire investment."
Saved 2 hours a week per administration: "We no longer need a full-time role for user management. What used to take 20-30 minutes daily is now fully automated."
Improved Policy Oversight: "Instead of manually chasing people, managers now proactively use Power BI dashboards to monitor compliance, enabling them to address issues before they escalate."
Significant Software Cost Savings: "We replaced a costly, cumbersome system called Media Lab - Policy Express allowed us to remove a third-party app entirely while aligning with our Microsoft 365-first strategy."
- Key Takeaway from Client
Ackerman highlighted the importance of anticipating the impact of automation on roles early on:
"If I could do it again, I’d start by mapping out exactly what those workers would do post-automation. We didn’t realise a full-time role had been dedicated to user updates until the system took over."
He also stressed the need for updated process documentation to ensure a smooth transition as workflows evolved.
- Our partnership is built on continuous improvement, ensuring our systems evolve alongside our business.
- Future Plans
With three successful projects completed, Precision Diagnostics continues to deepen its partnership with Information EXP, embracing a Microsoft 365-first approach to solving business challenges. By leveraging configuration and automation, they have discovered that Microsoft 365 can be far more than just a productivity suite - it can be a strategic platform for transformation.
"Rather than treating Microsoft 365 as an off-the-shelf suite, we now work with Information EXP to create tailored solutions that fit our exact needs," says Ackerman. "Our partnership is built on continuous improvement, ensuring our systems evolve alongside our business."
Looking ahead, AI-driven enhancements are next on the agenda, with a focus on enhancing the Policy Hub’s user experience.
- Innovation never stops here - we're now exploring how AI can further improve our Policy Hub, making it even more intuitive and effective.
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