🏥 Project Overview
In late 2019, our mid-sized healthcare organization ran both Google Workspace and Microsoft platforms—creating support headaches and interoperability issues, especially in our EHR workflows that depended on Excel and Word. As we worked with our MSP, it became clear we needed a unified solution.
The project formally kicked off in January 2020, but in March COVID-19 forced an accelerated timeline. Our challenge: migrate email, identity, and collaboration tools while standing up modern device management to support remote and onsite essential staff without disrupting patient care.
🎯 Key Achievements
Platform Consolidation
- • Seamlessly migrated 100+ mailboxes from Gmail to Exchange Online, preserving folder structures, shared drives, and user settings
- • Turnover-driven onboarding leveraged early-COVID staff turnover to onboard new hires directly onto Microsoft 365, minimizing resistance and creating organic peer pressure for adoption
Endpoint Management Deployment
- • Pre-COVID device onboarding - All Windows and Mac devices into Microsoft Endpoint Manager/Intune for policy enforcement and remote provisioning
- • Teams & Collaboration Framework - Designed comprehensive Teams architecture with channels, teams, and integrated SharePoint sites to standardize collaboration and automate EHR workflows
EHR Interoperability & Business Continuity
- • EHR interoperability improvements - Ensured Excel and Word documents linked to our EHR functioned natively on devices, reducing errors and user frustration
- • COVID-19 business continuity - Leveraged Intune to manage remote device policies, deploy VPN clients, and secure remote access, allowing essential services to continue without interruption
- • Electronic data collection alignment - Coincided with the rollout of an MDM-backed mobile data collection app for ABA, ensuring devices were secure and compliant
🚀 Journey & Growth
Strategic Onboarding Amid Turnover
At the pandemic's outset, rapid staff departures became an opportunity. We prioritized hiring and trained new team members exclusively on Microsoft 365 workflows—creating a cohort fluent in Teams and SharePoint that naturally influenced remaining staff.
Immersive Training Blitz
With reduced day-to-day work, we held intensive virtual workshops, deep-diving into Teams, Intune, and SharePoint features. This hands-on training—conducted in the first few months of COVID—built internal expertise and confidence.
Phased Migration Plan
Designed a four-phase approach—Discovery, Pilot, Bulk Migration, Optimization—balancing speed with minimal disruption.
Proactive Communication
Implemented regular stakeholder updates, user training sessions, and a support ticket triage system to handle increased queries.
Continuous Optimization
Post-migration, I led monthly governance meetings to refine policies, drive adoption, and integrate new features (e.g., Conditional Access, MFA).
📊 Impact & Results
| Metric | Result | Timeline |
|---|---|---|
| Downtime Minimization | <1% net user impact | Completed outside business hours |
| Support Efficiency | 45% reduction in cross-platform tickets | Within 3 months |
| Enhanced Security | 60% reduction in compliance incidents | Uniform Intune policies |
| Collaboration Growth | 100% active Teams usage | Replaced fragmented workflows |
| COVID-19 Resilience | Continuous patient care enabled | Safe remote/on-site work |
💡 Lessons & Takeaways
Plan for the Unexpected
Early work on Endpoint Manager paid dividends when COVID-19 struck—showing the value of building flexible infrastructure ahead of crises.
Stakeholder Alignment is Key
Broad workshops and clear communication channels mitigate resistance and boost adoption.
Iterate & Optimize
A phased rollout with feedback loops ensures continual improvement and user satisfaction.
This migration not only streamlined our technology stack but also built a robust platform for secure collaboration and device management, laying the groundwork for future digital initiatives.