Effective, efficient and ethical electronic case management systems

1. Effective, efficient and ethical electronic case management systems Sue Tolley, Barnardos Australia Bronwen Elliott, Good Praxis P/L

2. Electronic case management system What is an ECM system? Simple client referral database through to complete electronic client file database. Case work progress integrated into data collection. Statistical reporting capacity

3. What can ECM do, that paper systems can’t? • Generate individual casework reports • Generate service outcome and output reports • Make files legible! • Produce copies of file records or reports

4. Potential of ECM • ECM systems have the capacity to guide practice • ECM systems can provide for the evaluation of casework outcomes by workers and clients • ECM system’s have the capacity to promote best practice

5. Key criteria • Effectiveness – will service delivery improve? • Efficiency – will service administration benefit? • Ethics - can the benefits be gained without compromising client and worker rights, relationships and experiences?

6. Key questions re effectiveness • What improvements are you hoping the system will make to your service? • How will you know if they are achieved?

7. Key questions re efficiency • How do you want to improve efficiency eg file keeping, reporting? • What are the costs (financial, staff time and focus, impact on clients)? • Are the costs worth the benefits? • How will you measure the impact on efficiency?

8. Key question re ethical issues • What does ethical practice look like in a ‘paper environment’? • What if anything should change in ECMS? • What safeguards can be introduced? • How will ethical standards be evaluated after introduction of ECMS?

9. What to look for in a good ECM system and implementation plan. Our top 10 tips

10. 1. Make sure it mirrors best practice • Designed around practice standards. • Complies 100% with your service principles and values.

11. 2. Choose a Child AND Family System • Ensure the system treats children as individuals. • Ensure the system can group children with their parents. • Capacity to have more than one program assisting the same family.

12. 3. Single entry system • Data is entered for case management and reporting functions simultaneously • Reporting functions collate data automatically to suit your needs (or as required by your funding bodies)

13. 4. Multiple referrals for same family Expect that families will return to the service Look carefully at how the ECMS will count clients Recognise implications where family members change

14. 5. Intuitive and flexible • Use family services language • Allows workers to record in real time • Avoid rigid expectations eg set order of casework tools or assessment questions

15. 6. How much information ? Focus on collecting essential information Recognise impact of information eg in court processes

16. 7. Client friendly • Be alert to unintended consequences of ECMS on relationships with clients • Seek feedback from clients about their experiences of ECMS • Ensure that you keep doing what worked prior to ECMS, or do better

17. 8. Guided practice • Strength of ECM systems is the ability to include guidance in easily accessible formats and through case management pathways

18. 9. Is it a secure system? • Make sure you are satisfied with provisions re confidentiality of information stored • Educate all users about new security procedures • Provide clear information for clients and other service providers with whom you may need to share information.

19. 10. Realistic implementation process Leadership Address effectiveness, efficiency and ethical practice outcomes – Have a Implementation Plan Identify and address IT resource issues Timeliness Training Evaluation

20. e-SCARF Demo www.scarf.org.au www.scarf.org.au/escarfdemo/ From homepage click on: e-SCARF demo