Case Study:
Cortrium
How did Cortrium manage to decrease the number of human errors?
Product
Ambulatory ECG Monitors
Industry
Medical Device
Company Size
25 Employees
Who is Cortrium?
Cortrium is a Danish med-tech company, producing medically certified ambulatory ECG monitors, which offers a faster and easier way of screening patients for heart arrhythmia.
The company was founded in 2014 and has obtained the EC certificate (CE-mark) and ISO 13485:2016 certification. Today Cortrium’s products are sold in multiple EMEA markets and they have partnered with Pfizer Pharma to further commercialize their products.
During the implementation of SimplerQMS, the expectations from SimplerQMS’s team have been exceeded. We have got a lot of help – also on awkward hours of the day. So definitely the whole team and the support behind have been amazing.
Challenges and Goals
Before we started to implement SimplerQMS at Cortrium we had several meetings with key stakeholders. These meetings mainly revolved around Cortrium’s Quality Management System and its established operational procedures. We agreed that the main focus points of the eQMS are:
Rapid Growth Management
Cortrium was growing rapidly and faced an increasing demand for working streamlining operations. The constant growth of files and procedures placed the Quality Assurance department under enormous pressure. This resulted in a slowed-down progress and processes that were limiting Cortrium’s growth options.
Ownership and Responsibility for Documents
Limited traceability and overview of the paper-based QMS meant that only a handful of QA employees were responsible for the handling of documentation. Cortrium wanted a system that would increase personal accountability and ownership of handled documents for every employee.
Remote Friendly eQMS to Tackle Covid-19 Restrictions
Operating in a highly regulated sector, Cortrium’s employees needed access to large amounts of documentation, and efficient coordination between areas of the company to guarantee their compliance with regulatory requirements.
A paper-based system already possesses its challenges when working at the office. These challenges are magnified when there is a need to coordinate and ensure the efficiency of a geographically dispersed workforce.
eQMS Implementation
Cortrium followed SimplerQMS’s formula of incremental eQMS implementation. The process of incremental implementation divides implementation into multiple phases.
The first project included all our technical files, procedures, and templates. Then we took it step-by-step, and finished implementing the Post-Market Surveillance Tools, adapting all our procedures and templates in just 4 weeks.
Together with Cotrium, we planned out all of the phases to balance essential processes and fast to implement features. In this way, Cortrium started harvesting the efficiency benefits in a matter of weeks instead of waiting for many months.
Implementation Tips from Cortrium
Dedicate a specific project manager to the task
Be critical of the documents that will be migrated to the eQMS, use this as an opportunity to clean-up your archive
Implement step-by-step, procedures and forms first. Then technical files and Post-Market Surveillance
The last phase of eQMS implementation typically involves validation. However, SimplerQMS is Fully Validated. This was also one of the reasons that Cortrium chose our eQMS solution.
Validation is a process of functional software testing that needs to be completed before companies who comply with ISO 13485:2016, 21 CFR Part 11 and the GxP Requirements can use the eQMS. Our fully validated software allowed for a shorter implementation and smoother shift to an eQMS.
Training and Support
Shifting from a manual paper-based system to an eQMS can be an overwhelming process without the right support and planning. Cortrium relied on the extensive cooperation and support from the SimplerQMS team.
This support included training, assessment of IT systems readiness, and system validation. The support provided to Cortrium, as is the case of all SimplerQMS’s customers, was provided at no extra cost.
During the implementation, the cooperation with the SimplerQMS team was excellent. We had regular meetings with the team, and they were always available to support us – which is also the case after going live on the system.
Results
Increased Procedure Ownership
SimplerQMS allowed for the needed overview and control of the procedures, easily assigning tasks to employees. Access to the system can be modified according to the responsibilities of the employee, allowing for a more organized work structure.
Using SimplerQMS, when we onboard new employees, we just assign them a role and it will automatically tell the new employee which procedures and templates he or she is responsible for.
Seamless Remote Work
By switching to an eQMS, Cortrium was able to mitigate most of the problems that commonly appeared during remote working.
During Covid-19 it was nice to have everything online in a validated system, so we didn’t need to physically access our archives. It made it easy to automatically assign new templates and procedures to the right people.
SimplerQMS made it easy to share documents, create new procedures, or automatically transfer assignments. This allowed for a seamless remote work experience and smoothly running processes.
Major Productivity Boosts
Currently, with SimplerQMS fully implemented, Cortrium has experienced great gains in productivity, saving-time compared to their previous paper-based system. Co-working has been greatly improved, even with the rapid growth of the company.
In a growing company, saving time on documentation is not easy, but if we had continued with a paper-based system, we would be using much more time.
Shorter Complaints Processing Time
From all the benefits obtained from switching to SimplerQMS, Cortrium underlines the Post-Market Tools. These tools helped to improve the collaboration between areas of the company, resolving complaints more effectively and easily.
After going live with the Post-Market Surveillance Tools, we had people in customer support asking if they could also use the complaints forms as soon as they become available, and they found them very easy to use. We have shortened the processing time, with the test team getting notified as soon as a complaint is received.
Minimal Workflow Disruptions
Switching from a manual Paper QMS to the ISO13485:2016 certified, Part 11 Compliant SimplerQMS allowed Cortrium to minimize workflow disruption, caused by the constant growth in their workforce.
Furthermore, it represented the opportunity to simplify their procedures and forms, which provided both efficiency and quality benefits to the organization.
SimplerQMS has decreased the number of human errors of getting around procedures or obsolete templates.
Case Summary
Cortrium Appreciated
Fast Implementation
Increased Productivity
Reliable Customer Support
Increased Procedure Ownership
Online QMS Workflow
Find Out More in Other Cases
The following cases can help you better understand SimplerQMS software on a deeper level. Whether you would like to learn more about the implementation process or the results that our customers achieved by utilizing SimplerQMS, you can find out by selecting one of the cases below. If you have any further questions, feel free to contact us or book a demo to find out how could we help you achieve your quality management goals.
Case Study: Cortex
Case Study: Reapplix
