Client: NSW Rural Doctors NetworkIndustry: Not For ProfitNSW Rural Doctors Network (RDN) is a Not For Profit, non-government organisation with the goal of improving the health of remote and rural NSW communities through the deployment of a highly skilled medical and health workforce.
Recruitment, retention, ongoing professional training and outreach clinics are some of its key services, and the organisation has two offices and around 70 staff.
"The team are very much focused on how they can make the software do what we want, rather than expecting us to modify what we do to fit in with the software. Their product is highly flexible and adaptable, and it’s already been very highly rated by the team here."
As RDN’s Chief Financial Officer Phillip Blackford explains, “we have a rural and remote charter, which means our staff are often away from our offices. They need to be able to fill out administrative paperwork such as purchase orders, accommodation and travel costs while on the road – but completing and logging data manually is often a challenge.”
For RDN, the increased storage space and slower processing time resulting from the use of paper documents was proving increasingly problematic. The company also wanted to cut down on the cost implications and environmental burden caused by paper documentation.
Because the organisation uses MYOB accounting, any solution needed to integrate seamlessly with their existing accounting system. “We’re unable to customise our existing purchase order system,” says Phillip, “so we needed to be able to customise any new system to fit with our needs – and as we continue to grow, we also needed a system that could grow with us.”
RDN recently deployed Cypher IQ Digital to transform some of its key business functions from paper-based manual processes into digital automated business processes.
As RDN’s Accounts Officer Lisa Park explains, “having already worked with Cypher IQ Digital’s team, it was an easy decision for us to implement this new technology to address our various challenges. Cypher IQ Digital understand us well, and they understand the environment in which we operate, so have been extremely adept at knowing what will work for us.”
The solution provides an online portal, which staff are able to log in to and complete all their claims and credit card transactions. For RDN, it’s already proved extremely simple and easy to use, as well as highly useful for a company that needs easy access from any mobile device, from anywhere in NSW.
“The app itself offered more features than we’d initially considered or even thought possible,” says Phillip. “It’s really helped us to improve our productivity, support greater transparency and maximise our efficiency.”
“From a management point of view, since implementing Cypher IQ Digital we’ve seen claims being made in a far more timely manner than before,” says Phillip. “Managers are spending less time signing bits of paper, and we’ve also seen an increase in the number of claims coming through – probably because of the ease of access and the simplification of the process,” Lisa adds. “To be able to make a claim on the road and often have it paid by the time they come back is a key selling point for our staff.”
Phillip adds that the app’s receipt photo documentation function is a key feature, ensuring documents don’t get lost along the way. “That’s really important for supporting our GST requirements, because we can’t claim GST on incomplete invoices,” he explains.
The company also reports that the new app has proved invaluable for strengthening their internal controls around issues relating to credit card use. “We’re much better able to track who’s bought what and when, so we can keep a more accurate record of expenditure, while also improving the accountability of individual team members.”
On the back of its success, RDN are looking at using the Cypher IQ Digital technology in other business areas. If we can automate our $3 million per year Department of Health funded Health Workforce Scholarships Program, for example, it will make the entire payment authorisation process a lot smoother and a lot cheaper to run,” Phillip says. “We’re also looking at implementing a new purchase order system and invoice verification process through Cypher IQ Digital, and also converting a paper-based claim system into a new online entertainment benefit/salary sacrifice system,” says Lisa.
“I’m a big advocate for this app,” concludes Lisa. “I see a lot of benefits long-term. The team at Cypher IQ Digital really understand our needs, and that’s been highly useful in delivering a system that just works.” “The team are very much focused on how they can make the software do what we want, rather than expecting us to modify what we do to fit in with the software,” adds Phillip. “Their product is highly flexible and adaptable, and it’s already been very highly rated by the team here.”
