In the rapidly evolving landscape of healthcare and allied-education, institutions and academic programs face complex demands: tracking student placements, managing rotations, ensuring compliance, gathering evaluations and maintaining accreditation-ready data. The platform Exxat (also styled as “Exxat Prism”, “Exxat One”, “Exxat Approve”) has emerged as a comprehensive solution designed to meet many of these needs in one integrated system. In this article we will explore what Exxat is, how it is structured, its key modules, benefits and drawbacks, best practices for implementation, and what the future holds — all in a detailed, clear and self-contained manner.
What is Exxat?
Exxat is a cloud-based software platform designed for higher-education programs — particularly in health sciences, allied health, nursing, physical therapy and other clinical or experiential disciplines. According to Exxat’s own documentation, it supports over 75 disciplines, and is used for placements, compliance documentation, evaluations, curriculum mapping and more. helpcenter.exxat.com+2help.exxat.com+2 At its core, Exxat aims to unify previously fragmented systems — for example separate spreadsheets, paper forms, email chains or legacy databases — into a single environment where students, faculty, sites and administrators share workflows and data.
From its Help Center, Exxat describes itself as “the all-in-one solution that transforms processes and elevates clinical & experiential learning experiences. From placement requests to student onboarding, Exxat One streamlines operations and strengthens connections throughout.” help.exxat.com+1 So, the platform is intended not just for tracking but for collaboration among stakeholders (students, academic administrators, clinical sites, and preceptors).
Key Modules & Features
Exxat is modular in design; depending on the institution’s needs, one or more modules might be activated. Below is a table summarising major modules, their description, and primary stakeholders.
| Module Name | Description | Primary Users |
|---|---|---|
| Prism (Placement & Education Management) | Manages student placements, site affiliations, timesheets, patient-logs, evaluations and curriculum mapping. helpcenter.exxat.com+1 | Program/Clinical Coordinators, Students, Preceptors |
| Approve (Compliance & Documentation Review) | Tracks immunizations, background checks, drug screening, document uploads and reviews. Exxat’s “Approve” solution has reached 500 programs adopting it. PR Newswire | Program Administrators, Compliance Officers, Students |
| One (Site/External Partner Network) | A network interface enabling sites/partners outside of the primary institution to interact for placements, onboarding, site-data sharing. helpcenter.exxat.com+1 | External Clinical Sites, Affiliates |
| Mobile App (Student) | A companion app (“Exxat Student”) allowing students to log timesheets, patient logs, view announcements, request time off, etc. helpcenter.exxat.com+1 | Students |
| Security & Trust Portal | A module concerning data security, certifications, encryption, privacy & compliance. trust.exxat.com+1 | IT/Information Security Teams |
Placement & Education Management
Within Prism, institutions can define their curriculum mapping (linking courses, competencies, outcomes and standards), track student rotations (where, when, how many hours), enable student wishlists for preferred sites, collect timesheets, patient logs (for clinical experience), evaluations from preceptors, and generate reports. helpcenter.exxat.com+1 This module greatly helps programs maintain accreditation-ready data, monitor student progress, spot gaps in experience and manage logistics of placements.
Compliance & Documentation Tracking
Approve supports the upload and review of documents such as immunizations, physical exam requirements, background checks, drug screenings, health clearances etc. According to Exxat’s press release, the Approve solution had grown from 30 programs in 2018 to over 500 programs by 2023, supporting over 39,000 active students and over 10 million reviewed documents. PR Newswire This capability is critical for programs where clinical sites require strict compliance prior to student arrival.
External Partner Network
With One, Exxat enables external clinical partner sites to participate more seamlessly. For example, if a clinical site uses the One portal, they can submit student rosters, confirm onboarding, and manage placements without the full Prism platform on their side. This simplifies coordination between schools and external sites. helpcenter.exxat.com
Student Mobile Experience
The Exxat Student mobile app gives students a convenient interface to manage their own clinical experience: log time, add patient encounters, track time off, view announcements, etc. The student app reflects the mobility requirements of modern learners. helpcenter.exxat.com+1
Security and Trust
Given the sensitivity of student health and clinical data, Exxat emphasises security. The Trust Portal indicates that Exxat holds certifications such as SOC 2 Type II, ISO 27001, ISO 42001, HIPAA compliance, and TX-RAMP Level 2. trust.exxat.com Their infrastructure uses encryption, role-based access controls, and separate databases per customer (tenant isolation) to protect data integrity and privacy. Amazon Web Services, Inc.
Benefits of Using Exxat
Adopting Exxat offers many tangible advantages for educational programs and clinical partners. Some of the key benefits include:
- Centralised data and workflows: Instead of managing multiple disparate systems (spreadsheets, PDF forms, emails), Exxat brings student records, site information, evaluations and placements into one system, thus reducing redundancy, manual errors and compliance risk.
- Time savings and efficiency: Automating timesheet submission, patient log entries, approvals and notifications reduces administrative burden. Students and preceptors can complete tasks online or via mobile, speeding up processes.
- Improved oversight and reporting: Programs can produce reports on student hours, competencies achieved, site performance, document compliance and more. This helps program leadership spot issues early (for example students not meeting minimum hours) and supports accreditation efforts.
- Enhanced student experience: Students benefit from mobile access, easier log-keeping, notifications of missing documents, and a clear dashboard of requirements. This transparency can reduce stress and delays associated with clinical placements.
- Compliance assurance: With the Approve module, programs can track critical documents proactively, flag expired items, maintain audit trails, and meet site requirements reliably, reducing risk of students being rejected at sites.
- Better collaboration with clinical sites: The One module allows external partners to engage with the platform easily, improving communication, site onboarding, scheduling and data flow between academic institutions and partner sites.
- Scalable and secure infrastructure: Because it is a cloud-based solution with strong security certifications, Exxat can scale with institutional needs, support larger programs, and handle regulatory concerns around student data.
- Customisation and discipline breadth: Exxat supports over 75 disciplines (healthcare and non-healthcare), offering customisable workflows, forms and evaluation tools aligned with different program requirements. helpcenter.exxat.com
Challenges and Considerations
While Exxat brings many advantages, implementing and running the system also involves certain challenges and considerations. These should be weighed by institutions planning to adopt or expand use of the platform.
- Implementation timeline and change management: Any significant new platform requires change: staff training, data migration, workflow redesign, stakeholder buy-in. Implementation timelines can range from several weeks to months depending on scale. As Ex-xat’s FAQ indicates, onboarding typically takes 8-12 weeks for many programs. helpcenter.ex-xat.com+1 Programs should allocate sufficient resources for training, configuration and user adoption.
- Data migration and cleanup: Existing data (student details, site placements, historical logs) often reside in legacy systems. Transferring and cleaning these into Ex-xat takes effort — duplications must be resolved, missing fields populated, historical data mapped.
- Cost and licensing model: While the platform offers many capabilities, cost must be considered (license fees, per-student fees, add-ons). Programs should evaluate ROI and budget accordingly. The FAQ indicates that licensing is annual with a per-student fee. helpcenter.ex-xat.com
- Customisation vs best-practice trade-off: While Exxat is flexible, too much customisation can complicate maintenance and support. Programs may need to align with standard workflows to leverage system efficiencies.
- Stakeholder buy-in (students, faculty, sites): For maximum benefit, all stakeholders must use the system effectively. If students or clinical sites bypass Ex-xat (for example use external spreadsheets), workflow fragmentation may persist.
- Technology access and training: Users (students, preceptors, site staff) must be comfortable using the platform or mobile app. Institutions must provide training, guides and support to ensure adoption.
- Data governance and policy alignment: While Exxat handles secure infrastructure, programs must still align policies around student data access, role permissions, privacy and record retention. Exxat’s trust portal provides secure features but governance is still institutional. trust.exxat.com
Implementation Best Practices
To maximise success when adopting Exxat, the following best practices are recommended:
- Define clear objectives and metrics: Before implementation, define what success looks like: e.g., reduce student document non-compliance by 50% within a year; shorten site onboarding time; improve student timesheet submission rate. Use these metrics to guide rollout.
- Engage stakeholders early: Include program administrators, IT, clinical site liaisons, faculty and student representatives in planning. Their input ensures workflows align with real-world needs.
- Map existing workflows: Document current processes (e.g., how timesheets are submitted, how placements are assigned) and identify pain points. Then map how these translate into Exxat modules. This helps configure the system purposefully rather than replicate inefficient processes.
- Cleanse and prepare data: Before migration, clean existing data: sites, students, credentials, document statuses. Standardise site records and student profiles to avoid duplication and confusion.
- Train users thoroughly: Offer training sessions, video tutorials, user guides and Q&A support for all user groups (students, faculty, site staff). Especially emphasize mobile/app workflows for students.
- Pilot and iterate: Consider launching with a subset of students, or one cohort, before full rollout. This allows process refinement and stakeholder feedback.
- Communicate benefits clearly: Highlight to students and preceptors how the system benefits them (e.g., easier mobile logging, fewer emails, clearer requirements) so they buy in rather than resist.
- Monitor usage and data quality: After go-live, audit key metrics: document completion rates, timesheet submission rates, evaluation completion rates. Use these to measure success and identify areas needing reinforcement.
- Maintain governance and oversight: Assign roles for system maintenance, user support, data audits and cleanup. Ensure policies around access rights, data retention and security are maintained.
- Continuous improvement: Use Ex-xat’s quarterly updates and new features (as the FAQ indicates frequent updates) to refine workflows. helpcenter.ex-xat.com Solicit feedback from users frequently to enhance adoption.
Use Case Example
Consider a Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) program at a university setting. Previously, the program used separate spreadsheets for timesheets, PDF forms for evaluations, Word documents for student logs and email chains for clearance submissions. Students often missed immunizations or background check deadlines, clinical sites refused placements due to incomplete documents, preceptors were late to submit evaluations, and program directors struggled to monitor student progress across hundreds of placements.
After implementing Ex-xat Prism and Approve:
- Student profiles were uploaded, with required documents listed and notifications sent automatically when items were pending or expired.
- Students accessed the system via mobile app to log their hours at clinical sites, with preceptors approving via mobile or web.
- The program used Ex-xat’s curriculum-mapping feature to link each clinical course to specific competencies; student logs mapped to those competencies.
- Clinical sites entered their available slots through the One network; students filled wishlists and the program matched placements efficiently.
- At end of rotation, preceptors completed evaluations in Ex-xat directly; program administrators pulled reports showing which students had not yet met minimum hour thresholds or had missing evaluations.
- Compliance delays dropped significantly, students began arriving on time at sites, evaluation turnaround improved, and program leadership had real-time data for accreditation reporting.
This scenario illustrates how integration of placement, compliance, mobile logging and reporting can transform a clinical education program’s operations.
Metrics & Reporting Capabilities
One of Ex-xat’s strengths lies in its reporting and dashboard capabilities. Programs can pull analytics around:
- Student hour logs (submitted, approved, pending)
- Competency attainment across rotations
- Student document compliance status (immunizations, background checks)
- Site performance (preceptor evaluation completion, student feedback)
- Curriculum mapping gaps (which competencies are not being adequately addressed)
- Timesheet submission delays and trends
- Student mobility and site usage metrics
Using these reports, program leadership can create data-driven interventions: e.g., provide remediation to students lagging hours, partner with sites that underperform preceptor evaluations, identify curriculum gaps for upcoming cohorts.
Security, Privacy & Data Integrity
Given the nature of data (student health information, site contracts, evaluations), Ex-xat’s infrastructure has been built with security and data integrity as central pillars. Referencing the Trust Portal, Ex-xat holds certifications such as SOC 2 Type II, ISO 27001, ISO 42001, HIPAA-compliance, TX-RAMP Level 2. trust.ex-xat.com+1 Specific features include: SSL encryption for traffic, separate databases for each customer tenant (ensuring data-isolation), role-based access control, password expiry policies, regular backups across different regions for disaster recovery, and audit logging. Amazon Web Services, Inc. From the institution’s perspective, adopting Ex-xat still requires local policy alignment — e.g., ensuring user roles reflect privacy needs, ensuring data retention and deletion policies are consistent with institutional and accreditation requirements, and defining how data export or access will be handled at contract conclusion (Exxat’s FAQ notes data remains while you’re a client and can be exported at termination). helpcenter.exxat.com
Cost Considerations & Contracting
When evaluating Ex-xat, institutions should analyse cost structures, licensing models, and total cost of ownership. According to Exxat’s FAQ, pricing is structured as annual licensing plus a per-student fee. helpcenter.exxat.com Additional modules (such as Approve) may be add-ons. Therefore, programs should estimate: number of student users, projected volume of site placements, number of external site partners, training costs, data-migration costs, and anticipated admin time savings.
During contracting, it is prudent to: review termination clauses, clarify data ownership and export rights, ensure support levels (Exxat offers 24/7 chat and email support, AI assistant “Ask Leo”, training sessions) helpcenter.exxat.com negotiate onboarding services (data migration, custom configuration, training sessions) and ensure alignment with internal IT security review (given the multiple certifications).
Implementation Timeline and Phases
A typical implementation of Exxat may proceed as follows:
- Planning Phase (2-4 weeks): Stakeholder engagement; defining workflows; data inventory; technology review; security & policy alignment.
- Configuration Phase (4-8 weeks): Setting up modules (Prism, Approve, One as needed); configuring forms, workflows, roles; customising evaluation forms, timesheet fields, patient-log structure.
- Data Migration & Testing (2-4 weeks): Clean existing student/site data; import into Exxat; test workflows with pilot users; confirm integrations (e.g., SSO via institution).
- Pilot Launch (2-4 weeks): Select a small cohort or pilot course; monitor usage; collect feedback; refine configuration/training.
- Full Launch (1-2 weeks): All users (students, faculty, sites) go live; training sessions delivered; support hotline enabled.
- Post-Launch Monitoring & Optimisation (ongoing): Monitor key metrics (e.g., timesheet submission rate, document compliance rate, evaluation completion); provide refresher training; adjust workflows; leverage new feature releases regularly.
Effective implementation may take 8-12 weeks for many programs, but large programs with many students/sites might extend beyond this. The key is ensuring training and change management accompany the technical rollout.
Best Practice Use-Case Table
Below is a table summarising some best-practice configurations vs pitfalls to avoid when using Exxat.
| Best Practice | Why It Matters | Pitfall to Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Define standard evaluation forms and avoid too many variants | Simplifies reporting and cross-site comparisons | Allowing each preceptor to use unique forms — fragmenting data |
| Use mobile app training and require students to log via app timely | Improves real-time data and reduces backlog | Relying on paper after live launch — defeating purpose |
| Automate notifications for expired documents and missing hours | Reduces risk of site rejections and student delays | Manual chasing via email only — high admin burden |
| Use dashboard metrics monthly to monitor student progress and site engagement | Enables early intervention and continuous improvement | Waiting until end of term to identify problems — too late |
| Engage clinical site partners early and train them on Exxat One workflows | Improves site cooperation and reduces onboarding delays | Assuming sites will use platform without training — leads to non-compliance |
| Review password access and role permissions as part of governance | Maintains data security and privacy | Generic admin logins or shared passwords — risk of breach |
| Periodically audit data quality (duplicate sites, missing fields, old records) | Maintains system integrity and accurate reporting | Letting old data accumulate — lower system effectiveness |
Integration and Technical Considerations
From a technical standpoint, institutions should consider several integration and system architecture items:
- Single Sign-On (SSO): Exxat supports SAML2 and allows login via the institution’s credentials. help.exxatprism.com Integration ensures students/faculty use familiar credentials, reducing login friction.
- Data Import/Export: During onboarding, existing student, site and rotation data will be imported via spreadsheets or templates. Exxat’s FAQ indicates you can share your data in any format though templates are preferred. helpcenter.exxat.com Also export of data at contract termination must be considered.
- API Access / Integrations: While Exxat has an API planned (according to the FAQ) for advanced integrations, not all institutions may have external systems integrated yet. helpcenter.exxat.com Integration with LMS (Learning Management System) or student information systems (SIS) may be beneficial for unified student records.
- Mobile Device Compatibility: Students and preceptors may access via mobile; training must include mobile workflows (timesheet entry, patient logs, evaluations). The student app supports biometric login, etc. helpcenter.exxat.com
- Security Infrastructure: Ensure institutional IT has evaluated Exxat’s hosting, encryption, backup policies, role-based access control, separate tenant databases. The documentation indicates Azure cloud infrastructure, multiple backups across regions, role-based login and encryption. Amazon Web Services, Inc.+1
Future Outlook and Trends
As education and clinical environments evolve, Exxat is positioned to adapt and support emerging trends. Some potential future directions and trends include:
- Increased AI and analytics: With growing data on student performance, clinical placements and site evaluation, more advanced analytics and predictive modelling (for example, identifying students at risk of not meeting hours or competencies) may be integrated.
- Expanded mobile and remote capabilities: As clinical education becomes more flexible (e.g., telehealth, remote supervision, virtual patient logs), the platform’s mobile capabilities will further expand.
- Greater integration with telehealth and remote clinical partners: Sites and students may rotate through virtual experiences, requiring management of new workflows for remote placements.
- Global expansion: While current adoption is strong in the US, programs outside the US may adopt Exxat or similar systems; supporting multiple regulatory frameworks and international compliance may become a factor.
- Enhanced site-experience management: As clinical sites demand easier onboarding and less administrative burden, workflows via Exxat One may evolve further to simplify external partner experiences.
- Student-centric dashboards and lifelong e-portfolios: Students may carry their experiential data beyond graduation (as a portfolio) into professional practice or continuing education.
Programs considering Exxat would thus benefit from designing workflows with future-readiness in mind, not just current needs.
Summary
In summary, Exxat represents a modern, comprehensive platform for managing clinical and experiential education. By integrating placements, compliance, evaluations, curriculum mapping, mobile access and robust reporting, it addresses many of the operational challenges faced by academic programs in health sciences and related fields. While implementation requires planning, training and governance, the benefits in terms of efficiency, data quality and student experience can be significant. Institutions adopting Exxat should focus on clear objectives, stakeholder engagement, data preparation, training and continuous improvement. As the educational landscape continues to evolve, platforms like Exxat will play a crucial role in enabling programs to deliver high-quality experiential learning, monitor student progress, meet accreditation demands and collaborate effectively with clinical partners.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. What types of educational programs are best suited for Exxat?
Exxat is tailored for clinical and experiential education programs — including nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, physician assistant, social work, counseling, teacher education and allied health disciplines. The platform’s workflows support placements, timesheets, patient logs, compliance documentation, and curriculum mapping specifically suited for hands-on professional programs. helpcenter.exxat.com
2. Can students use Exxat from their mobile devices?
Yes. The “Exxat Student” mobile app enables students to log timesheets, patient encounters, add time-off requests, view announcements, upload documentation and complete evaluations from a mobile interface. The app supports biometric login (Face ID or fingerprint) for convenience. helpcenter.exxat.com+1
3. Is student data secure in Exxat?
Exxat places strong emphasis on security and data governance. The Trust Portal indicates certifications such as SOC 2 Type II, ISO 27001, HIPAA compliance and TX-RAMP Level 2. Data is held in separate tenant databases, traffic encrypted with SSL, and backups across regions ensure disaster-recovery readiness. trust.exxat.com+1 That said, institutions still need to implement local governance and properly configure user roles and access rights.
4. How long does it take to implement Exxat?
Implementation timelines vary based on program size, data complexity and configuration needs. Many institutions estimate 8-12 weeks for full rollout, including planning, configuration, training, pilot launch and full deployment. Custom workflows or large program scopes can extend this time. helpcenter.exxat.com
5. What happens at the end of a contract or if a program stops using Exxat?
According to Exxat’s FAQ, data remains stored while you are a client, and you can export data if you terminate the agreement. helpcenter.exxat.com It’s important for institutions to clarify in their contract how data export is handled, retention policy, any costs associated with termination and how historical data will be accessed or archived.
