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In this issue:
FootholdConnect Events
Highlights from the Project Pipeline
What's New in AWARDS
Tip of the Month - Add AWARDS to Your Taskbar!
For more information on upcoming FootholdConnect events, please go to FootholdConnect on the AWARDS Home screen's navigation bar, or visit the Upcoming Events page of the Foothold Technology web site. And don't forget... If you've missed any recent FootholdConnect events, you can access the recordings for those in Online Help here!
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Highlights from the Project Pipeline
HMIS Upload Changes Coming Soon
Changes will soon be made with Coordinated Entry Systems in mind to allow collaboration on clients across databases, but we believe these changes will be helpful in other HMIS databases as well.
Delta Refresh Uploads - AWARDS will soon allow bi-directional uploads using a format called Delta Refresh. Traditionally AWARDS has used a "Full Refresh" which completely wipes out the client records for all of the enrollments included in the upload. The biggest benefit of using Delta Refresh is that it does not wipe out any of the enrollments and simply overwrites anything that has changed in a client's record. For example, if a change was made to a client's admission form, only that client's admission would be overwritten and everything else in the client's record would remain the same. This means that when we release this option, you will be able to add progress notes, service plans, FormBuilder forms, and data in other modules without the data being overwritten each time a new upload comes into your system.
FormBuilder Uploads - It will soon be possible to send FormBuilder data across systems using the HMIS Upload feature. This feature was created with Coordinated Entry Systems in mind, but any AWARDS databases which use the HMIS Upload feature to send data can opt to include FormBuilder data as well.
Universal IDs - We will be introducing in the coming months a new Universal ID or "UUID" which takes the place of Personal IDs in the CSV files. This new UUID will be the same in both the source and destination database. A new UUID field within Client Search will be turned on in databases that use HMIS Upload.
Population Trends Report - To Be Removed
Please note that come August 1st, the Population Trends Report will be removed from AWARDS. This report is currently accessible via the Reports module, as a button at the bottom of the Program Profile Report, and optionally as a link on the Outcomes menu fly-out. This report is outdated and no longer supported by the more recent changes made to enhance AWARDS. The numerous ReportBuilders available today in the Reports feature should assist you with your various reporting needs. You will notice with the June enhancements that the Population Trends Report has a pop-up warning alerting users to the fact that it will be removed on August 1st. If you have questions or concerns, please reach out to the Help Desk or your Customer Success Division representative.
Rolodex - Retiring in August, Export Your Data Now!
When viewing the table of rolodex records within the Administration > Rolodex feature, a new Excel Link has been added to allow users to export this data. In addition, a Comments column has been added to the table so that the complete record is included in the Excel file. If this feature is being used at your agency, please make plans to export this data from AWARDS by August 1st, as the Rolodex feature will be retired at that time.
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As we have done in previous months, we are continuing to make available a new set of useful features and functions to users of AWARDS. As always, this round of upgrades is provided free of charge to all AWARDS users and is described below. If you have any questions, please feel free to ask your local Help Desk or your Foothold Customer Success representative. We hope these enhancements improve the way you use AWARDS and provide services!
Deployment Date: 6/6/18
BillingBuilder - Service Time Percentage Based Billing
When invoices are generated based on Services data (progress notes and group notes), different CPT/HCPCS & Modifier Codes as well as billing rates can be reported in the 837, HCFA-1500, and UB-04 depending on the percentage of service time. This comparison is accomplished by pairing two procedures together.
BillingBuilder - Supervising and Referring Provider Secondary ID Reporting
When reporting a Supervising Provider NPI in the 837P claim file and/or a Referring Provider NPI in the 837P/837I claim files or the HCFA-1500 paper claim form, a secondary ID and qualifier can now be reported as well.
Central Intake - Various Enhancements
The following enhancements have been made to the Central Intake functionality to make it even more user-friendly and flexible:
Permission relabeled - The Centralized Intake Placement Notification permission has been renamed Central Intake Placement Notification to be consistent with the language used elsewhere in AWARDS.
Program placements in ReportBuilders - The Demographics, Intake/Admission, and HMIS ReportBuilders now include a section reflecting new Central Intake Program Placements from this point forward. You will be able to run these reports in the source program and see the latest target program the client was placed into.
Option to hide worker information - The name and phone number of the worker making the referral into the target program can now be hidden so they do not display as part of the Referred By information. If you would like these fields hidden, please contact the Help Desk or your Foothold Customer Success representative.
Client Records - Printable Identifiers Now Available!
It is now possible to enable identifiers, such as the client's name, AWARDS ID, Medicaid ID, chart ID, and any configured Client Identifiers, to print in the header of all client-specific records. This feature is optional and is not turned on by default. To request that it be enabled in your AWARDS database, please reach out to the Help Desk for assistance.
E-Prescribing - Diagnosis Field
E-prescribing applications now have the capability of sending a prescription diagnosis to the pharmacy. Digital Rx has implemented this feature with a Diagnosis field on the prescription pad of their application, which draws from active ICD-10 diagnoses for a consumer. This field is not required, so prescribers are not obligated to include a diagnosis for a consumer.
Employers - Status Enhancements
The following enhancements have been made to the Employers functionality to enable users to record a status for each employer, as well as to filter and report on status information for those employers; specifically:
Status field added - A new Status option has been added to employer records in data entry mode, allowing users to set an employer record to one of the following:
Active - When selected, the employer will be available for assignment within the Job Placement and Job Interviews features.
Inactive - When selected, the employer will be unavailable during data entry within the Job Placement and Job Interviews features. It will continue to be shown in related previously saved records and reports.
Refine bar expanded - By default the Employers index displays all employers with an "Active" status. To expand or limit the display, use the selection options under Show Records in the left-hand menu. Available options are now: "All," "Inactive," and "Available for Deletion." (Employers can only be deleted when there are no associated records with them.)
ReportBuilder updates - The Employers ReportBuilder now contains a Company Status data variable, available in the "Employer Info" portion of the ReportBuilder Settings page. Additionally, Job Interviews, Job Placements, and Pay Records ReportBuilders now display an Employer Status option, also under "Employer Info." When chosen for inclusion in the report, these new data variables add a Company Status or Employer Status column, respectively, and indicate whether each employer is "Active" or "Inactive."
ExportBuilders - Values Mapping Enhancement
Previously ExportBuilder Values Mapping only allowed for mapping one value to equal another value. Now a new Criteria option has been added to allow for greater flexibility and granularity in values mapping (for example, field X Is Blank can now map to 0 in the export file). This new selection list contains choices for "Equals," "Not Equal to," "Greater than," "Greater than or Equal to," "Less than," "Less than or Equal to," "Contains," "Does not Contain," "Is Blank," "Is not Blank," and "Between."
Face Sheet - Communication Preference Enhancement
Previously, the selection list for the Communication Preference option (available upon request) in client face sheets was not configurable. Now, the selections in that list can be adjusted to meet your agency's needs. To request that the Communication Preference option be turned on in your AWARDS database, or to request changes to your existing selection list, please complete the Face Sheet Implementation Requests Form, or contact your Foothold Customer Success representative or the Help Desk for assistance.
HMIS Upload - Validations Enhancement
Several important and exciting changes are being made to the HMIS Upload feature (formerly known as the One-Button Upload) in 2018. These changes will allow single-agency AWARDS databases to share data back and forth with their Continuum of Care's AWARDS HMIS database in a more accurate and streamlined process. The first of these changes has now been implemented:
Upload Validations - On May 18th we enhanced the process for uploading HMIS data into other AWARDS databases. Up until then, users had been able to upload data sets that contained validation errors which caused clients to be excluded. Because of the data quality issues this caused, this will no longer be allowed. Now users will be required to complete a validation process before they can proceed with uploading any data. Users will receive an audit message with all validation errors spelled out on the screen detailing exactly what needs to be corrected. We have worked to make the validations messages as user-friendly as possible by telling you which client has an issue and how to fix it. After all of the errors have been fixed a Proceed to Upload button will display within the message. Click that button, and then check your messages and verify the upload was successful by reading the contents of the Upload Results message. This process will need to be repeated for each project that needs to complete an upload. (Note that the process for completing CSV Imports from non-AWARDS systems is not changing.)
To read about the other HMIS Upload changes coming soon check out the Project Pipeline, above.
Login Failures - New Notifications Permission and External Email Option
Previously when an AWARDS user was locked out of his/her account due to reaching a set number of failed logins (as configured under System Setup > Business Rules > Password Policy Rules), a lockout notification would be sent to the user's work supervisor (as configured under Human Resources > Staff Information). Because not all executive-level users have a designated work supervisor, those notification messages were not always useful in the event that it was an executive who was locked out of his/her account. Now lockout notification messages have been made more configurable and are sent via AWARDS Messages to:
the user
the user's supervisor (if any)
anyone with the new Login Failures Notification internal audit message permission assigned to them under System Setup > Permissions Maintenance
In addition to the new Login Failures Notification permission, an external notification component has been added under the navigation bar > username > User Settings > Notifications feature (available to individuals who have the existing Receive External Email Notifications permission assigned to them). Specifically, using the Notifications feature you can now choose to receive external emails for login failure notifications. When the new Login Failures Notification option is checked off, external notification emails are sent to the user based on rules set under System Setup > Business Rules > External Email Functionality, and using preferences recorded for that user within the Notifications feature. When a notification is received via email, the content of that notification displays the type of internal audit message, along with a link to the message in AWARDS. Upon clicking that link the user must login, and will then be able to view the full message.
NYS OPWDD CCO Export Files
The New York State Office for People With Developmental Disabilities (OPWDD) has worked in collaboration with the New York State Department of Health (DOH) to develop Care Coordination Organizations / Health Homes (CCO/HH) that will provide care management and coordination services tailored to help individuals with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities (I/DD) and their families. As part of this process, OPWDD has established a set of data standards aimed at allowing Care Coordination Providers, CCOs and OPWDD to share data about individuals receiving this coordinated care.
Foothold has been working with the CCOs vendor to ensure AWARDS users are able to both upload the initial data requirements to the CCO, as well as interoperably share data moving forward. As a first step, the export files needed for the initial data upload required of providers are now available in AWARDS. Please see the OPWDD CCO Export Files in AWARDS - Enhancement Details and Request Instructions document for more information. And stay tuned to future FootNotes for updates on integration options.
ReportBuilders - New Data Variables
As part of our ongoing efforts to make AWARDS ReportBuilders as comprehensive and user-friendly as possible, several new data variables have been added to various ReportBuilders within AWARDS:
Allergies ReportBuilder - Medicaid # - For programs set to display Allergies on the Face Sheet, a new Medicaid # variable has been added to the "Demographics" portion of the Allergies ReportBuilder - Options page.
Client Selection ReportBuilders - Client Identifiers - For agencies using the Client Identifiers feature, a variable for each option configured in that feature will now display in the "Demographics" portion of the ReportBuilder - Options page for most client-based ReportBuilders. Exceptions to this variable location are the Demographics, HMIS, and Service Contacts ReportBuilders (where the new variables can be found under "Profile Info" on the ReportBuilder - Options page), and the HMIS History ReportBuilder (where they can be found under "Client Identifiers and Calculated Fields" on the ReportBuilder - Options page).
Demographics ReportBuilder - Program ID - A new Program ID variable has been added to the "Program" portion of the Demographics ReportBuilder - Options page.
Hospital Episodes ReportBuilder - Current Program - A new Current Programs variable has been added to the "Demographics" portion of the Hospitalization Episodes ReportBuilder - Options page. Inclusion of this variable in your reports enables you to see the programs in which a client is currently on the roster.
Household ReportBuilder - Medicaid # - A new Medicaid # variable has been added to the "General" portion of the Household ReportBuilder - Options page.
Intake/Admission ReportBuilder - Services Sought - For agencies using the Services Sought feature, a variable for each option configured in that feature will now display in the "Demographics" portion of the Intake/Admission ReportBuilder - Options page.
Plans and Reviews ReportBuilder - Relation to Primary Client - A new Relation to Primary Client variable has been added to the "Household" portion of the Plans and Reviews ReportBuilder - Options page. When included in reports, this variable displays the value assigned for "Relation to Primary Client" within Household Info > Household Composition.
ReportBuilders - New Median Option
A new Median option has been added to the Footer Options available for all ReportBuilders, in addition to the existing Sum and Average options. When Median is selected, the middle number of the row or column will be identified. Please keep in mind that "0" and "blank/no data" are factored into the calculation.
Reports Menu - More Reports per Page!
By popular request, the default view in the Reports module will now show 25 reports per page, instead of ten. This change will be in effect for all views/filters applied to the table.
Rolodex - Retiring in August, Export Your Data Now!
When viewing the table of rolodex records within the Administration > Rolodex feature, a new Excel Link has been added to allow users to export this data. In addition, a Comments column has been added to the table so that the complete record is included in the Excel file. If this feature is being used at your agency, please make plans to export this data from AWARDS by August 1st, as the Rolodex feature will be retired at that time.
Summary Record of Service Report - New Contact Time Column
The Summary Record of Services Report (available for PROS programs under Services - Individual > Utilization Reports) now has a new Contact Time column.
Supportive Services Checklist - Primary Problem Area Enhancement
The Primary Problem Area label on Supportive Services Checklists can now be configured if needed by contacting the Help Desk. Changes can be made on a program type level, so please specify in your request which program type(s) should use which label(s).
Waiting Lists - Configuration Enhancement
Non-HUD funded programs are now able to make fields from the Demographics ReportBuilder available when setting up a Waiting List in Waiting List Configuration. This includes FormBuilder fields set to display on the Demographics ReportBuilder. If you would like to add a field from the Demographics ReportBuilder to a Waiting List, please contact the Help Desk or your Foothold Customer Success representative.
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Tip of the Month - Add AWARDS to Your Taskbar!
Did you know...
...that you can pin AWARDS to your Windows taskbar with your other favorite applications for quick and easy access?
To do so, navigate to the AWARDS login page in your browser of choice, and then:
(Note - The following instructions assume use of a Windows computer. Instructions may vary when using other operating systems or mobile devices.)
If Chrome is your browser - Click the Customize and Control icon at the far right of the browser address bar.
From the menu that is then displayed, select Tools > More Tools > and then Add to desktop. You can then go to your desktop, right-click the new AWARDS icon and choose Pin to taskbar.
If Microsoft Edge is your browser - Click the Settings and more icon at the far right of the browser address bar.
From the menu that is then displayed, select Tools, and then Pin this page to the taskbar.
If Firefox is your browser - Sorry, this option isn't currently available as a part of Firefox's setting options!
Bonus tip!
This works with AWARDS Online Help too! Navigate to https://demodb.footholdtechnology.com/help and follow the same process as above to keep our searchable Help system right at your fingertips!
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https://demodb.footholdtechnology.com/help/?12207
