WINNING APPLICATION HIGHLIGHTS

Delve inside the award-winning applications from 2026

THE BANK OF MISSOURI

BEST ACHIEVEMENT IN DRIVING CHANGE AND TRANSFORMING ORGANIZATIONAL CULTURE AWARD

The Challenge & Strategy

Prior to the Workforce Readiness programe, change adoption at The Bank of Missouri was inconsistent, with resistance creating friction that slowed collaboration and threatened project outcomes. Leadership recognized that transformation cannot succeed on systems alone - it requires winning hearts and minds.

The bank developed a proactive, human-centred framework to strengthen employee mindsets, equip leaders, and embed a lasting culture of agility. Using executive alignment sessions, readiness assessments, and internal interviews to identify gaps, the strategy was grounded in Prosci's ADKAR and CLARC frameworks and built around a scalable train-the-trainer model designed to cascade skills across all business lines without ongoing external dependency.

The Project

Over 40 interactive workshops were delivered enterprise-wide alongside the formation of a Journey Advocacy Group - a network of peer change champions who reinforced new behaviors and created feedback loops across all levels.

Readiness checkpoints and Journey Advocacy Group engagement were embedded into the Transformation Management Office's project methodology, making workforce readiness a mandatory component of every major initiative.

The Results

Override ratio reduced from 38% to 28% following a successful system go-live
64 loan applications accepted in the first days of a new lending platform launch
Over 40 workshops delivered, reaching 100% of the workforce
Faster stakeholder alignment and stronger cross-functional collaboration reported across projects
Readiness pulse surveys and feedback loops embedded as standard practice organization-wide
Leaders and employees now consistently approach change as an opportunity rather than a disruption
These outcomes demonstrate a fundamental and sustained shift in how the organization navigates transformation.

Benefits Achieved

Cultural Transformation: A shared change-ready mindset embedded as an organizational value across all business lines.
Operational Efficiency: Smoother rollouts, faster adoption, and fewer service disruptions across major initiatives.
Scalable Infrastructure: Train-the-trainer model and Journey Advocacy Group sustain the programe internally without external dependency.
Employee Empowerment: Staff equipped with practical tools to manage their reactions to change and lead peers through transitions.
Strategic Enablement: Workforce readiness fully integrated into project methodology, underpinning every future initiative.

INDEPENDENT ELECTRICITY SYSTEM OPERATOR (IESO)

BEST DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION INITIATIVE AWARD

The Challenge & Strategy

The IESO operates Ontario's electricity market and, following a major North American power outage in 2003, became a deeply risk-averse organization where operational-based business transformation was rare and change was viewed with skepticism. The Software Approval process had become a known bottleneck, creating significant delays in technology deployment and hampering operational agility.

The two-person Lean Centre of Excellence (CoE) identified this as an opportunity to test a new continuous improvement model - applying Lean principles first to optimize the process before deploying automation, demonstrating that meaningful transformation was achievable even within a highly risk-conscious environment.

The Project

The Lean CoE facilitated cross-functional workshops using SIPOC, Value Stream Mapping, and stakeholder analysis to map the end-to-end workflow and surface inefficiencies. Root cause analysis via Fishbone Diagrams and 5 Whys revealed unclear ownership, redundant approvals, and inconsistent intake procedures.

Once optimized, the process was automated using Robotic Process Automation (RPA) and low-code Power Automate - with requests submitted via Microsoft Forms, tracked through Microsoft Lists, and followed up with automated satisfaction surveys. An MVP mindset drove continuous iteration, with every subsequent improvement informed directly by user feedback.

The Results

88% reduction in process cycle time
Over 140 days of wait time eliminated per year
85% stakeholder and requestor satisfaction achieved
Enterprise-wide adoption driven through a grassroots growth strategy
IESO's Legal Department subsequently partnered with the Lean CoE to improve their own intake processes
Employees across Procurement, Legal, and Management upskilled in low-code automation and Lean principles

The project became a proof of concept that reshaped how the wider organization thinks about continuous improvement and digital transformation.

Benefits Achieved

Operational Excellence: Dramatically faster approvals, reduced manual effort, and improved tracking and transparency across the enterprise.

Cultural Shift: A risk-averse organisation took its first major step toward embracing continuous improvement and automation at scale.

Cross-functional Collaboration: Stakeholders across IT, Legal, Procurement, and Management worked together toward a shared goal for the first time.

Scalable Model: The MVP approach and feedback-driven iteration established a replicable template for future improvement initiatives across the IESO.

MEDICAL UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA

BUSINESS TRANSFORMATION LEADER

TEAM OF THE YEAR AWARD

The Challenge & Strategy

The Medical University of South Carolina set out to transform patient access - a function long hampered by high call abandonment, slow response times, and fragmented provider search. The challenge was not just operational but cultural: staff feared that automation would replace their roles, and clinicians were skeptical of technology-led change.

MUSC's cross-functional team of clinical, operational, and technology leaders responded with Access Reinvented - a bold initiative layering three complementary AI tools (Notable, Amelia, and DexCare) into a unified patient access ecosystem, with a governance model designed to ensure each solution complemented the others and could scale sustainably across the enterprise.

The Project

Notable AI agents automated pre-registration, questionnaires, and care gap outreach to reduce manual burden. Amelia's voice technology powered 'Emily', a voicebot extended from the Charleston Patient Access Center into regional networks, revenue cycle, and pharmacy call centers. DexCare added omni-search capability to help patients quickly connect with the right provider.

Implementation followed SMART principles with quarterly milestones, real-time KPI dashboards, and structured tollgate reviews. Staff resistance was addressed through listening sessions, simulation labs, and peer coaching - with early adopter success stories turning skeptics into champions across patient access, revenue cycle, and regional networks.

The Results

Call abandonment reduced from 12% to under 4%
Speed to answer improved by 40%
Press Ganey patient satisfaction scores reached the top quartile nationally
Frontline agents report reduced burnout and greater pride in their work
Digital transformation team grew from one person to a team of ten
Program scaled across patient access, revenue cycle, pharmacy, and regional networks
Leadership and frontline staff alike now view AI as an enabler of human care, not a replacement for it.

Benefits Achieved

Improved Patient Experience: Faster, more personalized access to care with significantly reduced friction at every touchpoint.

Operational Efficiency: Automation of repetitive tasks freed staff to focus on higher-value patient interactions.

Cultural Transformation: Innovation embedded into MUSC's organizational DNA, with staff actively championing AI-enabled tools.

Scalable Ecosystem: A fully integrated, internally governed AI platform capable of expanding across the health system.

Strategic Advancement: Program directly supports MUSC's goal of becoming a top 20 academic health system.

BLUE CROSS BLUE SHIELD OF MICHIGAN

BEST PROCESS IMPROVEMENT PROJECT IN UNDER 90 DAYS

The Challenge & Strategy

In 2024, a surge in healthcare cybersecurity incidents - including breaches at a high-profile claims clearinghouse and a national health system - exposed gaps in BCBSM's ability to accommodate providers’ needs during these disruptions.

Quarantining these breaches required taking providers’ claims submission and pre-authorization systems offline. Without alternate ways to handle these transactions, BCBSM risked being unable to maintain continuity of care for its 5.1 million members.

BCBSM’s cybersecurity protocols were well designed to prevent a potential breach of its systems and data, but those protocols were not designed to anticipate and respond to a significant breach at BCBSM’s provider partners.

A diagnostic assessment, including stakeholder interviews and incident reviews, highlighted the need to: clarify external response protocols, specifically define roles and responsibilities, including those at providers, and ensure sufficient data access to enable rapid decision-making. BCBSM's Continuous Improvement Unit (CIU) was engaged to design a structured, repeatable response framework and deliver it in under three months.

The Project

The CIU applied Lean Six Sigma principles to design a five-step incident response framework, anchored by a centralized Command Center to oversee coordination across more than 20 internal teams. The framework formalised provider request management, impact assessment, response checklists, decision authority, and communication plans.

Crucially, the playbook was piloted in real time during a subsequent cybersecurity incident at a Michigan-based hospital system - which occurred during the development of the playbook - allowing the team to test, refine, and validate the framework under live conditions before finalizing it for enterprise-wide rollout.

The Results

Full playbook delivered in under 3 months with more than 80 key business and IT stakeholders engaged in development and review
Stakeholders from 20+ teams participated in the live incident response
Fragmented, reactive response replaced by a coordinated, data-driven Command Center model and reduced operational downtime and financial impact during provider cyber events
Quarterly review process established to keep the playbook current and effective. Leadership confidence in BCBSM's ability to manage provider cybersecurity incidents has improved significantly since the playbook's introduction.

Benefits Achieved

Operational Resilience: A proactive, repeatable response framework embedded across the enterprise, replacing ad hoc crisis management.

Member & Provider Protection: Improved continuity of care and clearer communication during cybersecurity events for both members and provider partners.

Cross-functional Alignment: Clearly defined roles, decision authority, and communication strategies across IT, operations, and business units.

Scalable Model: Playbook success has prompted the creation of additional process artefacts and protocols across other critical business functions.

Cross-functional Alignment: Clearly defined roles, decision authority, and communication strategies across IT, operations, and business units.

Scalable Model: Playbook success has prompted the creation of additional process artefacts and protocols across other critical business functions.

Award Winners

BLUE CROSS BLUE SHIELD OF MICHIGAN | BEST PROCESS IMPROVEMENT PROJECT IN UNDER 90 DAYS

BRISTOL MYERS SQUIBB

BEST CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT SYSTEM AWARD

The Challenge & Strategy

Bristol Myers Squibb faced mounting pressure from increasing operational complexity, patent cliffs, and rising customer expectations, demanding a systematic, enterprise-wide approach to process excellence.

Over a two-year implementation journey, BMS built a mature Business Process Management (BPM) capability as the foundation for its continuous improvement system, embedding it across more than 8,000 employees in R&D and drug development operations.

The strategy combined Lean, Six Sigma, Agile, and Design Thinking methodologies with an integrated portfolio management approach, aligning improvement projects to broader organizational strategic objectives through a Business Process Council, an executive forum of cross-functional drug development leaders providing end-to-end governance and visibility.

The Project

BMS deployed a multi-layered engagement model. For example, Design Thinking workshops with Global Process Owners, Agile sprint-based improvement cycles, and a train-the-trainer Strategy Execution Methodology to upskill change agents across the organisation.

A digital BPM platform provided real-time tracking of projects and results, while structured tollgate reviews ensured accountability at every phase. Over 1,200 employees participated in 'Translating Strategy to Execution' training, and more than 300 grassroots improvement initiatives were launched by frontline employees and mid-level managers, demonstrating genuine ownership at all levels. AI capabilities were also integrated into the BPM tool to further enhance its impact.

The Results

More than $295M in combined cost savings and avoidance delivered, and over 30% efficiency gains and accelerated drug development cycle times achieved
Customer satisfaction scores improved by 18% and employee engagement increased by 15%
95% organizational awareness of the BPM program achieved and over 300 grassroots improvement initiatives launched by employees across the enterprise
The results reflect a two-year transformation featuring continuous improvement as a core way of working across BMS's global drug development operations.

Benefits Achieved

Financial Impact: Over $295M in combined cost savings and avoidance, directly supporting strategic objectives.

OPEX: Faster drug development cycles and improved reliability, delivering medicines to patients more quickly.

Cultural Transformation: Continuous improvement embedded into organizational DNA, with data-driven decision-making and collaborative problem-solving as standard.

Scalable Capability: The BPM model has been replicated across multiple business units and geographies, maintaining global standards while adapting to local needs.

Strategic Gains: BPM established as a core strategic differentiator, directly aligned to BMS's goals of cost optimization, digital transformation, and patient-centric care delivery.

Cross-functional Alignment: Clearly defined roles, decision authority, and communication strategies across IT, operations, and business units.

Scalable Model: Playbook success has prompted the creation of additional process artefacts and protocols across other critical business functions.

Award Winner

BRISTOL MYERS SQUIBB

BEST CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT SYSTEM AWARD