JDRF Begins Roll-Out of New Business Intelligence Platform

--Partnership is designed to improve organizational efficiency and help JDRF meet its financial goals--

NEW YORK, Feb. 26, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- JDRF, the leading non-profit organization in the area of type 1 diabetes (T1D) research, has begun a national effort to streamline its business operations, introducing an operational data dashboard in all of its chapter offices and its headquarters in New York City.  The development and rollout has been accomplished through a partnership with Altosoft, a business intelligence (BI) software company whose previous clients have primarily been in the for-profit healthcare and financial services industries.

Through the use of Altosoft's BI platform and dashboarding software, JDRF staff can now make rapid data-informed decisions by having access to key performance indicators (KPIs) that are relevant and targeted at their specific areas of the business. The system is able to pull information from a wide range of sources throughout the organization and update it in real-time. This information is then fed into customizable dashboards that are specific to the job functions and needs of the individual user.

"The Altosoft platform is enabling JDRF to more efficiently access key data that would have ordinarily taken time and effort away from our core business activities," said James Szmak, JDRF's chief operating officer. "Previously, the length of time it took to compile our financial data meant that we were often making important business decisions based on what we saw in the 'rearview mirror.' Now, we can see in real-time how we are measuring up against our budgets at the organizational, chapter, or even program or project level, and make adjustments as needed." Szmak noted that for-profit companies routinely use BI and informatics services such as the Altosoft platform. However, JDRF's entry into data analytics represents a significant step forward for non-profit organizations, which typically lag behind their for-profit counterparts in adopting new technology to help them operate more cost-effectively and efficiently. This, Szmak said, places JDRF at the forefront of non-profits in this realm.

Currently, more than 200 JDRF employees from its national headquarters and each of its 106 chapters have been trained and are using the Altosoft platform, which was custom-designed to meet JDRF's unique needs.  The organization plans to complete roll-out to all employees by the end of 2013.

"I'm really happy with the BI dashboard," said Ellen Rubesin, JDRF's regional director, northeast. "It shows me the progress of the chapters in my region in real-time, compared to what is budgeted, so that I can work with chapter leaders to ensure that we reach our numbers. The chapters can also see the progress of the other offices in the region and are demonstrating a desire to help others meet their targets as well."

"JDRF's commitment to its pursuit of operational excellence has made our partnership very rewarding for both parties.  Through our close working relationship we have been able learn the unique requirements of JDRF's operation and advise them on the optimal use of our technology to deliver a higher level of results and to identify operational areas that offer opportunities for additional improvement," said Scott Opitz, Altosoft's president and chief executive officer. "By applying the same best practices employed by leading for-profit companies JDRF has demonstrated that they are able to realize the same superior insights and controls previously not found in the non-profit community allowing them to reach their aggressive goals of helping improve the lives of as many as 3 million Americans living with Type 1 diabetes."

About JDRF

JDRF is the leading global organization focused on type 1 diabetes (T1D) research. Driven by passionate, grassroots volunteers connected to children, adolescents, and adults with this disease, JDRF is now the largest charitable supporter of T1D research. The goal of JDRF research is to improve the lives of all people affected by T1D by accelerating progress on the most promising opportunities for curing, better treating, and preventing T1D. JDRF collaborates with a wide spectrum of partners who share this goal.

Since its founding in 1970, JDRF has awarded more than $1.7 billion to diabetes research. Past JDRF efforts have helped to significantly advance the care of people with this disease, and have expanded the critical scientific understanding of T1D. JDRF will not rest until T1D is fully conquered. More than 80 percent of JDRF's expenditures directly support research and research-related education.

About Altosoft

Altosoft's products take BI to a higher level, delivering advanced functionality while enabling companies' BI implementations to work faster, easier, and more cost effectively.  These process-aware solutions eliminate the cost and complexity of conventional BI while delivering advanced functionality for operational performance improvement.

Altosoft's revolutionary, 100% codeless approach features ultra low-latency data monitoring and analysis across operational databases, warehouses, and other data sources. It integrates real-time event monitoring and business process optimization. It also enables dashboard development in minutes with a unique browser-based, drag-and-drop interface.

A typical Altosoft solution is implemented in one-tenth the time and at less than one half the cost of ordinary BI. Headquartered in Media, Pennsylvania, Altosoft delivers solutions for commercial and government organizations worldwide. 

SOURCE JDRF