Lessons Learned: Confident and Effective Exchange of Data

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Lessons Learned Confident and Effective
Exchange of Data

• Rhode Island Interface with the Neighborhood
  Health Plan of RI (NHPRI)

Leon Saunders Rhode Island Department of
Children, Youth, and Families March 24,
2005 Reston, VA
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SACWIS Background

• The Rhode Island SACWIS system (RICHIST) was
  implemented in August 1997.
• It is a client-server application
  (Powerbuilder-Sybase).
• MicroFocus COBOL or Hyperion SQR is used for
  reporting and/or extracting data for interfaces.
• Autosys is a batch scheduling program used to
  automate the execution of batch programs.

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Interfaces

• Existing interfaces
• RI Statewide Accounting System
• RI Department of Human Services In-RHODES
• (Child Care, FIP, XIX, IV-D)
• Neighborhood Health Plan of RI
• Placement solutions
• Residential Placement UR provider
• Interfaces in progress
• Family Court Interface
• RI Dept. of Health KidsNet

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Neighborhood Health Plan of Rhode Island

• Was incorporated in 1993 by Rhode Island's
  fourteen (14) Community Health Centers, to
  enhance their ability to provide comprehensive
  health care services for members covered by the
  State of Rhode Island's federally approved
  managed care initiative, RIte Care
• Provides medical coverage for all DCYF youth in
  out-of-home placements
• From Neighborhood Health Plan of RI website
  (www.nhpri.org)

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Interface Process

• Moving Data from RICHIST to NHPRI
• An SQR report is run monthly (automated with
  Autosys) to create a file with data for NHPRI.
• If the report completes successfully, a UNIX
  shell script is executed (also within Autosys) to
  move the data file from the RICHIST production
  box to a Linux server.
• The file is encrypted on the Linux server using
  GPG.
• The file is then FTPd to NHPRI.

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Interface Process (cont.)

• Moving Data from NHPRI to RICHIST
• NHPRI generates a data file and places it on
  their FTP site.
• DCYF executes shell script (using Autosys) to FTP
  the file from NHPRI to the DCYF Linux box.
• The file is decrypted on the Linux server using
  GPG.
• The shell script then moves the file from the
  Linux box to the RICHIST production box.
• A COBOL program is executed (by Autosys) to
  import the data in the RICHIST database.

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Lessons Learned

• Most people agree that sharing data is a good
  idea.
• They just cannot agree on
• How to do it
• XML, flat file, comma-delimited
• When to do it
• Daily, weekly, monthly, as-needed
• What to share
• Confidentiality
• HIPAA
• Start with interfaces that you have the most
  agreement on. You learn something new with each
  one.

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Lessons Learned (cont.)

• Data sharing agreements
• Through the work of the RI Childrens Cabinet,
  the State has developed a standard data sharing
  agreement form for Agencies to use when
  developing interfaces.
• Who are the data sharing partners
• Duration of agreement
• Frequency of data
• Beneficiaries
• Process
• Data confidentiality and dissemination
• In some cases, a Memorandum of Agreement may be
  used.

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Lessons Learned (cont.)

• Interfaces take patience/time
• Getting agreement on the specifications is only
  the beginning.
• Agency priorities and available resources are not
  always the same.
• Each agency (govt. and private) may have their
  own standards and practices.

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Lessons Learned (cont.)

• Data quality
• Even the best interface will only create
  confusion if the data is inaccurate.
• Matching person records
• What is the threshold for confirming a match?
• Error or mismatch reports
• Timeliness of data will impact how often/when an
  interface should run.
• End of month placement data

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Lessons Learned (cont.)

• Worker data entry time
• Any interface that saves a worker from having to
  type information into the SACWIS system
  (especially when the data already exists in an
  electronic format) will increase the time that
  the worker can spend with a family!!!

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Fore More Information

• Leon Saunders
• Phone [phone]
• Email Leon.Saunders_at_dcyf.ri.gov