We spend a lot of time talking to people on the frontline of health and social care. Whilst many have taken the plunge into technical systems for supporting their clients, a large amount of services are still using paper forms and spreadsheets to manage their work. The main question these services ask…..
Why should I use a case management system?
The answer is simple. You want to deliver the best care to the most people. For the least cost. You also want to show that you’re doing a good job, so the client sees progress, the workers keep track and so you can evidence your success for funding.
To achieve these results you have to ask the right questions and have a system in place that can provide you with quantitative answers you can use.
Asking the right questions
1 – Are we getting enough clients, or are we not connecting efficiently?
2 – Can we show we are meeting people’s needs?
3 – Are the interventions and actions relevant and helpful?
4 – Are we efficient?
The answers
1 – Data will be easy to read – A system with good reporting will show how many clients you have/had at any period and where they were referred from. You can identify any areas where there may be barriers to connecting with people needing help.
2- know your clients’ needs have been fully met – A system will show you the number of people returning into treatment and when. You can identify common trends and behaviours in these individuals so you can tailor your support to tackle these problems. Some software will allow for a feedback system where your service users can leave their views of their treatment.
3- Track care and support plans – All of your treatment outcomes will be in one place and you will be able to make side by side comparisons of the data. Outcome tools also make it easier for your clients to track their own progress and stay engaged with their treatment.
4- Share data – Rather than reports being locked to an individual’s computer all workers will have access to case files, notes and documents so team working becomes much easier. Everything is in one place.
The Options
There are many case management systems on the market offering different options for configuration and outcome monitoring. At Halo we are focused on making your client management as simple as possible so it’s easy to see the answers that will drive your service and make your life easier. Data output is automated, simple and valuable. Spend more time with your clients and let us do the hard work.
