When Housing Works was looking for a software tool that could help its case managers coordinate services for its clients, the Brooklyn-based nonprofit organization could not find cost-effective off-the-shelf solutions that didn’t require massive and costly customization.

As a provider of housing, medical, prevention and support services for persons impacted by AIDS and homelessness in New York City, Housing Works needed an application that could integrate information from multiple programs and systems.

The organization wanted to replace its cumbersome Excel spreadsheet and paper chart processes, which often created redundant tasks because information resided in different programs and systems, and multiple assessments, were being conducted at different times, according to Miguel Mendez, senior vice president for Operations at Housing Works. “It was difficult trying to coordinate that care for the client,” he said, which impacted the ability to deliver the best care and improve outcomes.

e-ICare enables care coordination
Undaunted, in 2011 Housing Works built its own client care planning and tracking tool called e-ICare, with the help of a grant from Salesforce.com. Now instead of having to undergo the time-consuming and labor-intensive process of accessing various information systems, case managers can easily determine a person’s eligibility and enroll and identify what services are needed. Through this one application, case managers can pull up primary care providers, social services, behavioral health providers, and other unique services offered by local entrepreneurial business partners that are best suited for the client’s needs.

[Read Patty Enrado's previous HIEWatch commentary: HIE still evolving]

“With e-ICare, case managers share information across the different programs,” said Dev Desai, vice president for data management and software development. Case managers can now work together to create a coordinated care plan, which includes goals three to six months out for clients. “Case managers can make a very informed decision of what to do for the client,” he said. The application creates a streamlined workflow by assigning and tracking tasks that need to be completed. Case managers can easily monitor the progress of their clients, create reports and communicate across programs and departments.

“Time saving is a huge factor,” Desai added, as case managers typically carry up to 10 to 15 cases at a time. They can also access the information while they are in the field, which eliminates having to travel back to the office to access the data. Convenience and saving time also accrue to the clients, as they no longer have to be interviewed by multiple case managers for each type of service or program and asked the same questions again and again. This has made a positive impact on customer service and client satisfaction.

Greater connectivity with BHIX
Housing Works has been a partner with the Brooklyn Health Information Exchange (BHIX) for the last five years and is represented on the BHIX board of directors and its governance structure. Together, the two organizations determined that merging the e-ICare tool with BHIX in a new, efficient way would enable case managers to view additional information that e-ICare does not host, according to Mendez.

“Through the innovation of BHIX Connect, an indicator that is integrated with electronic medical records via a secure web service which shares both user and patient context, Housing Works staff are now able to share information through a seamless connection,” he said.

End users don’t have to log into the BHIX portal separately; everything is on a single sign-on. When end users sign on to e-ICare, the application automatically and securely pulls all the relevant information for the client – with client consent – from the BHIX portal, according to Desai.