The Electronic Signatures functionality enables staff and clients to sign discharge records for the purposes of approving their content and/or verifying their accuracy. Once signed, discharge records are locked from further editing. Staff with the authority to sign discharge records (as determined by a given program's business rules) can sign those records themselves, and should assist clients in doing so, if applicable.
To access and electronically sign a discharge record (for a discharge that has already been processed), or to assist a client in doing so, complete the following steps:
TIP: The following instructions detail the process of generating an individual discharge report from within the Reports module in order to access a record for signing. Discharge records can also be accessed for signing purposes by opening them in data entry mode and then clicking Printable Form. The Client History Report in the Client Search module can also be used to access discharge records for signing. If you have accessed a discharge record in either of those ways, skip ahead to step 9.
- From the navigation bar, click Reports (or the Reports icon). The Reports index page is displayed.
- Click the Program drop-down arrow and select the program associated with the client for whom the discharge record is to be signed.
- If you previously bookmarked the Individual Discharge Forms report it is displayed on the reports index by default; otherwise, from the left-hand menu bar, click All under "Show Reports."
- Use the navigation features in the bottom-right corner of the reports index to locate Individual Discharge Forms, or enter "individual discharge" in the Search field in the upper-right corner.
- Click Individual Discharge Forms from the reports index. The Client Discharge Roster Selection page is displayed.
- The discharge date for the record to be signed must fall within the Discharges from and to dates on this page. Make adjustments to that date range as needed using mm/dd/yyyy format or the available date pickers.
- Click CONTINUE. The Program Discharge Client Selection page is displayed.
- Click the Former Client drop-down arrow and select the client for whom the discharge report is to be viewed.
- Click CONTINUE. The Discharge Information page is displayed in report mode.
- Navigate to the bottom of the discharge record. Based on the program's electronic signature rules and who has or has not already signed the discharge record, you will see up to two signing links on this page.
Click to Sign - Available for staff who are eligible to sign the discharge record if they have not already done so. If the electronic signature rules for the program do not allow you to sign the discharge record, or if you have already completed the signing process for the record in question, this link is not displayed.
Allow Client to Sign - Available when a staff member is assigning eligible clients with the discharge record signing process, as long as the staff member is also eligible to sign that record him/herself. If the electronic signature rules for the program do not allow clients to sign discharge records, or if the client has already completed the signing process for this record, this link is not displayed.
TIP: For more information on the rules that govern electronic signing in each program, click here.
- The discharge record can now be electronically signed. To do so, click the appropriate signing link and complete the corresponding signing process, or assist the client in doing so:
Click to Sign (for use by staff)
The Electronic Signatures Signing dialog box is displayed. Configure the options in that dialog box as follows:
NOTE: If, during the process of setting up your electronic signature, you specified default signature settings, those settings are reflected here. As a result, you may not need to configure the options below - with the exception of entering your PIN (which is always required) - unless it is necessary to adjust the defaults.
Sign With - Notes can be signed using initials or full name images. Click the radio button next to the type of image with which you want to sign this note - "No Image," "Initials Image," or "Full Name Image."
NOTE: Sign with options are only available for the images you uploaded during the process of setting up your electronic signature. For example, if you uploaded only a full name image and not your initials, only the "No Image" and "Full Name Image" options will be available here.
Authority Level - Click the radio button next to the statement that describes your authority level in relation to this note - "I am the author and I approve this document," "I am the reviewer and I approve this document," or "This document is accurate."
NOTE: The "I am the author..." option is only available when you processed the discharge in question.
Date and Time Stamps - The Date and Time checkboxes are selected by default so that a date and time stamp is included with your electronic signature. De-select one or both of these options if needed.
NOTE: If these checkboxes are not available, it is an indication that your agency has opted to have all electronic signatures date and time stamped automatically.
Credentials - Click the checkbox next to each credential to be included with your signature.
NOTE: This portion of the signing dialog box is only available when credentials have been specified for you in the Human Resources module Staff Information feature. If these checkboxes are not available, it is an indication that your agency has opted to have all electronic signatures date and time stamped automatically.
PIN - In this field, type your five-digit PIN to confirm your identity.
Continue with step 12.
Allow Client to Sign (for use by staff assisting clients)
If a default signing method for clients was specified during signature setup, the Electronic Signatures Client Signing dialog box is immediately displayed, prompting the client to complete the corresponding signing process.
If a default signing method was NOT specified and more than one signing method is available (as determined by "Touch" and/or "Signature Pad" selections under System Setup > Business Rules > global Electronic Signature Rules), a series of radio buttons on the page will note those methods. Click the appropriate radio button, click OK, and then complete the corresponding signing process.
Signing by Signature Pad - Direct the client to use the signature pad to enter his/her signature. Click Draw to give focus to the signing area before the client signs on the pad, Clear if you'd like to clear what has been entered using the pad, or Cancel to exit without signing the note.
Signing by Touch - Direct the client to use his/her finger or a stylus to enter his/her signature directly on the screen when using a tablet, touchpad, or other touch-enabled device, or to use the mouse to sign on the screen if the device is not directly touch-capable. Click Clear if you'd like to clear what has been entered, or Cancel to exit without signing the record.
IMPORTANT! Because a client's electronic signature settings are disabled if they no longer have any active enrollments in agency programs, the "Signing by PIN" option available in other e-signing scenarios is not available when e-signing discharge records. The above signature pad or touch options must be used instead.
Once the appropriate signing method has been used, continue with step 12 to complete the signing process.
- Click SIGN NOW or have the client do so, if applicable.
IMPORTANT! Clicking the SIGN NOW button is an acknowledgment that the individual doing so is the authorized signer. An electronic signature constitutes a legally binding symbol that authenticates the document to which it is attached.
When SIGN NOW is clicked, the following takes place:
The discharge record is signed and the electronic signature is displayed with that record any time it is opened in report mode. The signature for the staff members is composed of authority level, followed by signer name and credentials (if included), job title, the signature or initials image if one was selected or captured with the signature pad, and the date and time on which the record was signed. For clients, the signature includes the signature or initials image of one was captured with the signature pad, "Client" (or relevant label if clients are referred to differently in your AWARDS database), and the date and time on which the record was signed.
TIP: Job title information is taken from your Staff Information record in the Human Resources module. If you are a staff member the signature will always display your job title as of the time the note was signed, regardless of whether that title changes in the future.
Keep in mind that if any other staff members or the client previously signed the same record, the new signature is added to those existing signatures.
The discharge record acts as a "snapshot" that displays the data as it appeared at the date/time of e-signing. Any data changes in other areas of AWARDS that would ordinarily change content of the discharge record will not be reflected on the record after it is e-signed.
The program history corresponding to the discharge (including bed history, when applicable) is locked from further edits for those users with access to Program History Corrections. Program histories locked in this way are displayed with a lock and key icon next to them on the Program History Corrections data entry page.
The process of electronically signing a discharge record is now complete.
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