“By making the Surface Pro 3 the only computer that mobile employees need, we eliminate the need to buy two or three devices per employee, saving us thousands of dollars a year.”

Lawrence Brown, Vice President of IT, AssistRx

After years of rapid growth, AssistRx decided to replace its mixed IT environment with an all-Microsoft setup to achieve greater consistency and reliability. It gave Microsoft Surface Pro 3 devices to all mobile employees, which eliminated the need for multiple devices for each person and saved time and money. Standardizing the use of Microsoft products also helps AssistRx safeguard its data, which can travel across multiple devices while remaining secure.

Technology BarriersGetting a patient on the correct specialty medications regimen is typically a long, document-heavy, manual process involving many steps. iAssist®, the flagship product of AssistRx, improves speed to therapy and enhances the patient’s journey, while engaging all healthcare stakeholders. Using iAssist, healthcare practitioners can accurately and efficiently help patients receive specialty medications, insurance providers can receive the information they need, co-pay assistance can be readily dispersed, pharmacies can triage the medication, and manufacturers can receive the documentation they need for heavily regulated medications. With iAssist, the amount of time that a patient has to wait for a specialty medication is reduced from a couple weeks to just a few days.

When AssistRx created iAssist in 2009, it was a startup company using a mix of technology. Employees used either Apple Mac computers or Windows-based laptops, depending on individual preference, as well as a mix of productivity applications ranging from Microsoft Office to cloud-based apps such as Google Docs, EverNote, and Dropbox.

After five years of rapid growth, AssistRx knew that it was time to grow up—to transition from a startup to a midsize enterprise. “We were having challenges with technology scalability, performance,

and reliability,” says Lawrence Brown, Vice President of IT for AssistRx. “It was not always easy to work together, and our support costs were high.” Employees might take an Apple iPad into meetings for note taking, and then have to transfer those notes to their Mac computers or Windows-based laptops when back in the office. It was a hassle and a big drain on productivity. In addition, with the use of public cloud apps such as EverNote and Google Docs, Brown’s team didn’t have control over the company’s intellectual property, which was a big concern.

IT Grows UpIn late 2013, AssistRx standardized the use of Microsoft Office 365 for cloud-based productivity tools and also decided to standardize on Windows-based servers, development workstations, and desktop and portable computers. “We thought that Microsoft had better enterprise-grade software, better support, lower costs, and greater uniformity from desktop to datacenter than other companies,” says Adam Stotts, Vice President of Business Strategy at AssistRx.

AssistRx bought four Microsoft Surface Pro 3 devices for executives. “We found that the Surface Pro 3 was not only viable for us as portable tablets but an easy replacement for our existing laptops,” Brown says.

Customer: AssistRxWebsite: www.assistrx.com Customer Size: 80 employeesCountry or Region: United StatesIndustry: Professional services—IT services, Healthcare

Customer ProfileAssistRx develops configurable, state-of-the-art technology that streamlines processes related to prescribing, distributing, and administering specialty medications. The company is based in Orlando, Florida.

Software and Services Windows 8.1 Pro Microsoft Office 365

Hardware Microsoft Surface Pro 3

For more information about other Microsoft customer successes, please visit: customers.microsoft.com

Microsoft Surface Pro 3Customer Solution Case Study

Technology Solutions Firm Standardizes the Use of Portable Devices to Enhance Productivity

The company decided to give all mobile employees a Microsoft Surface Pro 3 as their one and only device. Surface Pro 3 runs the Windows 8.1 Pro operating system and was fully compatible with all the Microsoft software used throughout the company. AssistRx appreciated the full laptop functionality in a lightweight tablet form factor that had built-in networking and security features, a great keyboard, and remarkable handwriting recognition.

Multitask Throughout the DayGone is the hassle of bouncing between multiple computers and transferring information between devices. Managers can collaborate in a much more dynamic environment. They can easily carry their Surface Pro devices to meet with team members at various workstations, write and send notes in real time, and join impromptu client conference calls to meet the demands of the industry.

“I’m a big Microsoft OneNote user and love the linkage between the Surface Pro 3 pen and OneNote,” says Stotts, referring to the Microsoft Office note-taking program. “With two clicks of the top pen button, you can launch OneNote and start taking notes. I write notes on the Surface Pro 3 with no need to transfer those notes to another document on a laptop when back in the office.”

AssistRx salespeople perform demonstrations of web-based iAssist using their Surface Pro devices, which connect easily to most projectors. They could not do the same with iPads, which did not connect to projectors.

AssistRx plans to replace all of its laptops with Microsoft Surface Pro devices.

Demonstrate InnovationThe Surface Pro devices help improve the company’s image. “We’re a technology company, and customers expect us to use the latest and greatest gear,” Stotts says. “When I walk into a drug manufacturer with a Surface, I get questions right away. People say they wish they had one. There’s a ‘wow’ factor to the Surface Pro, no doubt about it.” The ‘wow’ factor is important to employees, too. “The Surface Pro helps us hire and retain good people by providing them with the latest technologies,” says

John Prescott, Director of IT at AssistRx. “It demonstrates that they work for a company that’s progressive.”

Enhance Security, Save Money“By making the Surface Pro 3 the only computer that mobile employees need, we eliminate the need to buy two or three devices for each employee, saving us thousands of dollars a year,” Brown says.Standardizing the use of Microsoft software, hardware, and cloud services, AssistRx has enhanced the security of its intellectual property. “By using Microsoft SharePoint Online, OneDrive for Business, and OneNote instead of Google Docs and EverNote, we keep documents within our Microsoft network and strengthen enterprise security,” Brown says.

The ability to run the Windows 8.1 operating system with BitLocker Drive Encryption is another security plus. “Windows 8.1, the Surface Pro 3, and Microsoft applications are a very secure combination,” Prescott says.

The local Microsoft Store acts as the company’s Surface Pro service center. “The Microsoft Store knows that we’re a corporate customer and takes great care of us,” Prescott says. “At the Apple Store, you mingle with consumers and don’t get priority as a business.”

The speed of daily operations affects speed to therapy for the people AssistRx serves—patients on specialty medications. “Technology is the key means by which we succeed at this task,” Stotts says. “Doing that better than anyone else is how we prosper. Our partnership with Microsoft helps us do just that.”

This case study is for informational purposes only. MICROSOFT MAKES NO WARRANTIES, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, IN THIS SUMMARY.

Document published March 2015