P&P April Issue 2018

CASE MANAGEMENT continued from page 18

informed decisions, not replace their judgment. It must also be careful to recognize and address the moral and normative issues surrounding the use of data by, for example, being careful not to prejudice human services pro- fessionals or stigmatize clients by unnecessarily labeling them. A mobile H/HS system recognizes that for many H/HS programs, the most important work is done in the field, working directly with clients. Yet too often, human services profes- sionals are ill-equipped to work in the field, relying heavily on paper documentation and having to return to an office to catch up on paper- work. A modern and responsive H/ HS system uses mobile apps designed for clients or workers, that take full advantage of the unique attributes of the mobile device form factor, to empower workers to do their work where they are, and clients to conduct business on their schedule. Of course, deploying smartphones or tablets and developing well-designed mobile Interoperability, analytics, and mobility have made it possible for innovative H/HS leaders to provide services that are easier to use, less costly to deliver, and more responsive to legislative change and technological advancements. It is virtually impossible to become a truly modern and responsive H/HS system without having the tools that support and enable that vision.

applications is not enough to become a mobile H/HS system—that requires rethinking practice and business pro- cesses to take full advantage of mobile capabilities. Child welfare organizations in Massachusetts, Alameda County, CA, and New Zealand find that mobile technology helps caseworkers spend more time in the field—working with children and families in need—and less time in the office at a computer. Leaders expect that mobile technology contributes to a better work environ- ment for staff by improving the quality of tools, increasing flexibility, stream- lining processes, and improving access to information. Experience from corporations and agencies with successful mobile programs points to a set of lessons learned: � Mobile is best when flowing from an overarching digital strategy � Establish metrics of success, and success will come � Employ change management � Do not forget continuous feedback in design and enhancement � Think long term; mobile solutions must integrate into the enterprise. Interoperability, analytics, and mobility have made it possible for innovative H/HS leaders to provide services that are easier to use, less costly to deliver, and more responsive to legislative change and technological advancements. It is virtually impossible to become a truly modern and respon- sive H/HS systemwithout having the tools that support and enable that vision. While technology alone cannot drive that transformation, the right technology, coupled with the right practice and processes, can amplify and reinforce that vision. With all the tech- nology choices available, we suggest H/HS leaders focus first on developing the strategies, capabilities, and business models of how they will support workers and clients. Armed with a sound strategy augmented by tech- nology, those leaders will drive better outcomes as they power a modern and responsive H/HS system.

agencies that apply analytics to their data focus on retrospective analysis at the aggregate level, which provides a more accurate description of what happened to client cohorts over time and to a specific client. While this can help shape program design—assuming the analysis is timely enough—aggre- gate level analytics do not offer much value to the worker in the field. An analytical H/HS system empowers workers in the field and on the front line by providing action- able insight, relevant the moment it is needed to make better decisions. An analytical H/HS system does not replace a worker’s judgment; it augments it by providing relevant context. It might allow a worker in the field to ask a policy question in plain English, and get a relevant answer immediately, without requiring the worker to locate the precise reference in a lengthy policy manual. A smarter H/HS system can help clients and workers make better choices by understanding what has, and what has not, worked well for similarly situated clients. The Boulder County, CO, Housing and Human Services agency is pretty lean. Twelve customer service staff members serve 36,000 people per year. They are using a cognitive system to identify risks and surface insights to improve the care of citizens they serve. Cognitive solutions read case notes— unstructured data in natural human language—and summarize what they learned and even answer ques- tions. In Boulder County, the solution reviews case notes about an individual or family from across seven county systems. It summarizes key informa- tion in less than one second. This has slashed the amount of time workers spend finding and reviewing files and notes and has improved their access to information. Using a cognitive solution, they are able to make good decisions and make them faster. Importantly, an analytical H/HS systemmust be insightful, not prescrip- tive. Like Boulder County’s solution, it must help the human services profes- sionals and their clients make more

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