NYU Kimmel Center, New York City
Thursday, July 11, 2019
8:00 AM - 5:00 PM Eastern

Our 12th Annual User's Conference will build on last year's back to school theme with a focus on the ever-changing landscape of care. Attendees will deepen their knowledge of AWARDS and walk away with tools to strengthen their agency. By becoming a better AWARDS user, you will understand how to use and leverage your data to operate more efficiently, increase partnerships, and develop metrics to support growth.

This year also sees the return of our virtual conference experience. To make the User's Conference as accessible as possible, the virtual conference is a way for you to attend sessions without leaving the comfort and convenience of your desk. All of our breakout sessions are live streamed and accessible with the purchase of a virtual ticket. This option allows more of our clients to participate than ever before, so if you aren't able to join us in person, we hope you join us online.

The 2019 AWARDS Impact Prize is back! Tell us about the most impactful, creative and inspirational achievements you, your program, or your agency has realized through the use of AWARDS. We'll reward the most innovative accomplishments with a cash prize and a trip to our 2019 User's Conference in New York City on July 11th!

ReportBuilders - All Clients on Roster

We are excited to announce the development of a new feature that will allow users to include all clients in reports even when there is no data. Currently when running a ReportBuilder, only clients with data entered in the related record appear in the report results (e.g. clients who have program attendance recorded); clients with missing data are not included in the report.

With the new enhancement, users will have the option to include all clients in the report regardless of whether data has been entered in the record. This will allow users to identify clients with missing data or to show there was no data for that client during the selected time frame. This option will be available for all ReportBuilders with a Roster Date Range filter, and three new options will replace the current Expand Clients checkbox. The new options will be:

  Clients with Records - When this option is selected, the report will include only those clients in the roster date range with data entered in the related record.

  All Clients - When this option is selected, the report will include all clients in the roster date range, regardless of whether data has been entered in the related record. For each client with missing data, a row will display in the report indicating "No Saved Record."

  Select Client - When this option is selected, users will be able to select a specific client for whom to run the report.

The Clock is Ticking on Windows 7

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 reach out to the Help Desk. We hope these enhancements improve the way you use AWARDS and provide services!

Deployment Date:  3/6/19

BillingBuilder - Authorization Records for Procedure Service Percentage Ranges

When using the procedure option Use Percentage of Service Time CPT/HCPCS & Modifier Code Assignment, the individual paired procedure percentage ranges can now have authorization records entered for them within the BillingBuilder Insurance Authorizations portion of a consumer's Certified Entitlements record.

BillingBuilder - Delay Code Modification

A modification has been made to how delay codes assigned to invoices in AWARDS.  First, a default delay code of 8 will no longer be automatically assigned to invoices where the payer is Medicaid when the Service Date is 90 days or older from today (current date).  By default, the 90 or older service dates will be shown on screen with a red asterisk (*) next to the service date, and the following message will be shown towards the top of the Edit Invoice Batch screen:

Invoices listed with a red "*" in the Service Date column have a service date 90 days or older from when the batch was created. A valid delay code should be entered if it is required by this payer.

To have a default delay code assigned to a payers invoices, set the Assign Default Delay Code to Invoices 90 Days or Older option under Payers.  If the Payers setting does not have a default delay code selected, the payer's invoices will not have a delay code assigned during the batch generation process, and the user can decide to add one within the update screen for the invoices.  A user can also update a delay code on an invoice that was assigned by default.

BillingBuilder - Generate Batches for Specific Consumers

A new filtering option has been added to the Generate Invoice Batch screen called All Consumers.  By default, all consumers will be considered when generating a batch as they are today unless the new All Consumers option is de-selected.  If the All Consumers checkbox is de-selected, users will be able to select a specific consumer or consumers for whom to generate invoices.  This new option is available when one of the following Billing Actions is selected:

Generate Invoice Batch
Generate Claim Denials Re-Billing Batch
Generate COB Remainders Re-Billing Batch
Generate Denials and Remainders Re-Billing Batch

  NOTE: This new batching filter is only available for program billing groups NOT associated with hard-coded (ACT, CR, PROS, etc.) AWARDS billing types.

BillingBuilder - NYS MCO Medicaid PROS and ACT Authorization Change

The ability to set an authorization requirement for a hard-coded PROS or ACT procedure has changed. This requirement used be added by accessing the Configure Billing Types screen and setting the Prior Authorization Required option.  This setting has been removed from the Configure Billing Types screen, as each hard-coded PROS and ACT procedure now has its own procedure configuration screen with the Authorization is required option.  Please note, if the Configure Billing Types screen for a hard-coded PROS or ACT billing type has procedures set to require an authorization, this new setting will automatically be selected for the procedure.

BillingBuilder - Service Facility Information Secondary ID in 837 Files

A new Report Service Facility Secondary ID (REF) option has been added to the BillingBuilder Payers feature. This setting allows a service facility secondary ID to be reported in the 837 claim file (837P & 837I - REF). The service facility secondary ID can be entered on the Billing Procedures Setup page and/or the Program Billing Info page using the Service Facility Secondary ID field.

Additionally, a new configured procedure setting called Procedure Description for 837 Claim File (SV101-07 (837P) / SV202-07 (837I)) has been added which allows a user-entered description of the procedure being invoiced to be reported in the 837 claim file (837P - SV101-07 / 837I - SV202-07). This configured procedure option is typically used when the payer being invoiced defines the procedure as having a "non-specific procedure code."

FormBuilder & PlanBuilder - New Dynamic Section Available

A new Provider Appointments (Future) dynamic section is now available when creating FormBuilder forms and PlanBuilder plans. This new section enables users to view and enter future provider appointments directly within any custom built forms.

As with other dynamic sections, users configuring forms can modify the section fields that display on the form. Also, like other dynamic sections, Provider Appointments (Future) will display embedded in the form when in read-only mode, and the Update section button will bring users to the Medical module Provider Appointments feature where updates can be made. The Update section button is available when Display Section Button option is checked off during form configuration, as it is by default. If Display Section Button is not checked off, the dynamic section is displayed on the form in read-only mode only, without a button to take the user to the client's Provider Appointments page.

HMIS - System Performance Measures Report Updates

A small change was made to Metric 1b in the HMIS System Performance Measures report so that children in households will now be included in the length of time homeless. Since "Approximate Date Homelessness Started" is not asked of children in households, the head of the household's answer is applied to all minor household members. This change became effective on March 1, 2019.

Messages - External Notifications Now Available for E-Signatures

Databases using the new E-Signatures Configuration feature in Plans and Reviews and/or Progress Notes now have a new Ready for E-Signature Notification external notification option in the User Settings module Notifications feature. Users who select this option will receive external email notifications any time they have received an internal audit message in the AWARDS Messages module regarding records ready for e-signatures. As with other external email notifications, the user will have to log in to AWARDS after clicking the message link to view its full content.

Messages - HIE Alerts

We are excited to announce that our Interoperability customers are now able to receive HIE Alert Messages in AWARDS! If your database is currently connected to an HIE and if you have implemented MedAllies HISP in AWARDS, you can work with your HIE to have them route your alert messages to the AWARDS Messages module. This will allow your staff to securely receive Protected Health Information (PHI) in your AWARDS inbox and remove the need for staff to log in to a separate portal to retrieve this information.

Also, note that these HIE alert messages can utilize the AWARDS External Notifications feature. In databases configured to share data with an HIE, there is a new Direct Message Notification option located in the User Settings module Notifications feature. Users who select this option will receive external email notifications any time they have received a direct message in AWARDS for HIE alerts. As with other external email notifications, the user will have to log in to AWARDS after clicking the message link to view its full content.

If you are interested in learning more about this option, including MedAllies HISP, please contact the Foothold Help Desk.

Permissions - New "Save ReportBuilder Format For All Staff" Permission

Previously, only members of the System Administrator and Executive Officer user groups had the ability to save ReportBuilder report formats to be used by others. Now a new Save ReportBuilder Format For All Staff exception override permission controls this ability instead.  Users who are assigned this permission can save report formats for all users.

To make the transition seamless users assigned to the impacted users groups at the time of deployment were automatically assigned the new permission.

Progress Notes - Workflow Enhancement

Previously in AWARDS when a user saved a progress note, they were taken back to the Progress Notes Index page. We've made a recent enhancement so that upon saving a progress note, users are instead taken directly to a confirmation page displaying a read-only report version of the actual note. If electronic signatures are enabled for progress notes, the user can sign the note from that screen. A new Note Index button displays at the bottom of the page and allows the user to navigate back to the client's progress notes index easily. The Note Index button does not display on printed notes.

ReportBuilder Enhancements

As part of our ongoing efforts to make AWARDS ReportBuilders more comprehensive and user-friendly, we've made the following enhancements.

Demographics ReportBuilder - New Data Variables

  Primary Entitlement Numbers, Secondary Entitlement Numbers, and Tertiary Entitlement Numbers have been added as data variables in the "Profile" section of the Demographics ReportBuilder Options page. These fields will pull in insurance numbers that correspond with insurance entitlements marked as "Primary," "Secondary," and "Tertiary."

  Most Recent Program Status and Most Recent Program Status Date have been added as data variables in the "Profile" section of the Demographics ReportBuilder Options page. These fields will pull in the most recent program status data for both actively enrolled and discharged individuals.

Diagnostic Tests ReportBuilder - New Data Variables

  Cell Phone and Phone have been added as data variables in the "Demographics" section of the Diagnostics Tests ReportBuilder Options page.

  Condition/Disposition of Specimen, Specimen Action Code, Specimen Collection Date, Specimen Collection Time, Specimen Reject Reason, and Specimen Type have been added as data variables in the "Related Lab Order Information" section of the Diagnostics Tests ReportBuilder Options page. These fields will pull in any available specimen collection data in a related lab order.

Hospital Episodes ReportBuilder - New Data Variables 

  LOS (Nights) During Report Date Range and Total LOS (Nights) have been added as data variables within the "Hospital Episodes Information" section of the Hospital Episodes ReportBuilder Options page. These fields will calculate the number of night stays for hospital episodes.

Intake/Admission ReportBuilder - New Data Variables

  Phone has been added as a data variable within the "Demographics" section of the Intake/Admission ReportBuilder Options page.

  Referral Contact Email has been added as a data variable within the "Referral Source Information" section of the Intake/Admission ReportBuilder Options page.

Progress Notes ReportBuilder - New "Display One Row Per Signature Action" Option for New E-Signatures Configurations Feature

Have you ever had a quick question about how to do something in AWARDS, but you're not sure where that feature is in Online Help? You're in luck!

The "How Do I…" portion of Online Help contains a list of tasks commonly performed by AWARDS users and members of the Local Help Desk teams supporting those users. Each task is listed with information on how to complete it, or where you can find details for doing so in Online Help. This is a great feature to use when you have a more general sense of what you want to accomplish in AWARDS - such as backdating an admission record or entering a new employee into the system - but you're not sure where to find that feature in Online Help. 

Check out the latest in Foothold news and recent entries from the Foothold blog!