Redefining excellence in emergency medical services (EMS) and a partner to local communities, Falck delivers vital emergency response and healthcare solutions worldwide with unparalleled vision and reliability.
With over nine million services provided, Falck operates across Europe and beyond, employing over 25,000 people across 26 countries, delivering services such as healthcare, assistance, safety services and emergency assistance.
The new contract reflects the vision and strategy for the future
Reliable IT infrastructure is crucial to ensure effective service delivery at scale. HCLTech serves as Falck's trusted technology partner, providing infrastructure services to support the company's mission.
Ali Imran, Head of Digital Infrastructure, oversees the smooth operation of Falck's infrastructure. With over 20 years of experience in IT, he understands the challenge of maintaining secure, reliable and scalable systems globally. Working alongside HCLTech, Imran leads a team of 152 professionals across Europe, Latin America and the U.S.
Recently, Falck extended this partnership through a new five-year contract, reaffirming their commitment to collaboration in data-driven decision-making, automation and scalability.
Expanding the partnership beyond infrastructure outsourcing
Falck and HCLTech seek new avenues to expand their partnership beyond infrastructure into other important areas like application maintenance and data management. Due to strict data hosting and transfer regulations, data management remains a paramount concern in healthcare.
This is particularly true in the EU, where data sovereignty demands that organizations keep data within specific geographical boundaries. Organizations can achieve compliance with digital sovereignty by using local data centers for storage.
Alternatively, enterprises can opt for a cloud solution that integrates the benefits of cloud computing with adherence to digital sovereignty standards.
Making secure data management a competitive advantage
"The data cannot be processed outside the EU, so we need to both host and support specific healthcare systems from within the EU," explains Imran. "To do that, I need infrastructure that gives customers data-safeguarding benefits and satisfies all compliance and GDPR regulations. We've covered that in the new contract, and many of our team members will relocate to delivery centers in Romania and Poland to ensure we comply with the rules."
HCLTech is developing a customized private cloud for Falck, strategically hosted and managed within the EU to address the business need to deliver secure data. "I'm excited about that," notes Imran. "It's a very important step for us, especially because that's what the customer calls for, and that's what the business needs to deliver the services." In this regard, the HCLTech partnership establishes a competitive advantage for Falck as a provider of reliable data solutions.
Enabling prevention-based care with digital solutions
There's a growing call for investment in prevention-based care, which is crucial for individual health and the economic stability of EU health systems. Implementing preventative measures can significantly reduce healthcare costs and enhance productivity.
Economic growth and resilience may depend on strong prevention-based measures, including digital tools. "Things like remote patient monitoring and diagnostics, and home-based care and treatments will provide relief for pressured healthcare systems around the world, especially in the European context," says Imran. "We envision a future where individuals have access to home devices for monitoring health metrics, enabling rapid response before hospitalization becomes necessary."
Rapid site launches meet customer expectations
With lives at stake, responding rapidly to new contracts is critical. A notable achievement of the HCLTech partnership has been the ability to swiftly establish new business and service sites. "Our time-to-market is crucial, and IT plays a vital role," Imran explains, "Our agility in ramping up new sites quickly impacts our ability to serve clients effectively."
He notes that "technologies delivered through collaboration with HCLTech, such as software-defined networking and private cloud services, enhance our capacity for quick deployment. Recently, we migrated our Norwegian operations into the global infrastructure, utilizing new technologies developed with HCLTech to expedite the process."
Ready to use more "innovation muscle"
As the partnership expands, Falck aims to harness more of HCLTech's expertise beyond infrastructure. He points out that they have experience with many types of customers and invest heavily in innovation through R&D labs and new solutions.
"I think we need to tap into that much more than we have, so we don't have to reinvent things," says Imran. "We can leverage the knowledge and technology HCLTech deploys for other customers."
Staying focused on value in an evolving market
As healthcare transitions from a reactive model focused on treatment to a more preventative approach, Falck remains committed to meeting customer needs. With over a century of experience, the organization recognizes the importance of adaptability and vision in moving forward in changing markets.
The European healthcare landscape is increasingly diverse, with nations prioritizing preventative care to foster resilient economies. With this dynamic environment, the adoption of innovative healthcare solutions is accelerating at an unprecedented pace. Falck stands ready to contribute significantly, backed by its partnership with HCLTech. Imran affirms, "HCLTech can play a vital role in achieving the results that our board, stakeholders and owners want."
