Sask. reverts to former health-care payroll, scheduling system after new program faulty

A new administrative system for managing payroll, scheduling, finance and the supply chain for Saskatchwan's health-care system has been taken down after complaints it's bug-ridden.

The Administrative Information Management System (AIMS) was meant to replace 80 existing systems and improve "data accuracy [and]reliability" while benefiting employees, clients, patients, residents and families, according to a website about the system.

In an email, Jennifer Arends, executive director of communications at 3sHealth, which provides human resource services to the Saskatchewan health-care system among other things, says the system was meant to provide a standardized system that would "support payroll, staff scheduling, human resources, finance and supply chain functions across the health sector."

That wasn't the case when it went live in late October.

On Friday, the province paused AIMS and reverted to the system process in place before its launch because of "challenges" with the program, according to the emailed statement, though it noted it anticipated some challenges "as with any large-scale system implementation."

The Saskatchewan Union of Nurses (SUN) posted to its website on Nov. 2 that prior to the program launch it anticipated issues with the system and informed members of them.

"Since our initial communication, SUN has become aware that hundreds of members are experiencing significant issues with AIMS that are in breach of the application of many articles and practices outlined in the collective agreement," a post on the website dated Nov. 2 says.

It says members had issues with scheduling, leave requests and hours worked among other aspects of the systems.

The post says SUN also filed a provincial grievance.

"Registered nurses are very fearful of payroll errors, and our members are not clear who they can reach out to for help (and) are also worried about issues with scheduling, which could create gaps in patient care. AIMS is a stressful and costly endeavour," Tracy Zambory, SUN president, said in an emailed statement.

Arends's emailed statement says the pause to the program's implementation was "disappointing but necessary," but AIMS will returnwhen they're confident its issues have been addressed.

On Twitter, opposition critic for health Vicki Mowat tweeted that the government failed to implement the program, which solved "a problem that didn't seem to exist."

"Very expensive software system for health-care employees has tanked within one week of launching," she wrote.