Social work case management software
As a rule of thumb, that’s something I’d look for in a program.”Īiken says social workers should also ask, “How responsive is this company?” “That’s an important question when it comes to workflow,” he says.
Social work case management software software#
Any good software program is going to have a community built up around it. Even if the vendor isn’t available, an off-the-shelf option still gives you the opportunity to talk to others who have used it. But you should go with a situation where you feel you have the most support available. “A vendor could go out of business and suddenly disappear,” he says. Now who will maintain your system?”Īlthough there seems to be a stronger possibility for long-term support from a vendor, Aiken says it’s still not a given. “Say you find a developer who really understands your business practices and is able to develop a program that works perfectly for you,” says Peter Aiken, PhD, founding director of Data Blueprint, a data management consulting firm. Going the custom route can also create a sort of “eggs in one basket” scenario in which a lot is riding on that developer. “I don’t know if there are any solid statistics out there but it’s been my experience that the ‘success’ rate has been very dismal.” “The argument has been made that if an agency is large enough it may be more cost-effective to build or develop internally,” Mee says.
Mee has also seen custom design projects become extremely costly and ultimately problematic. “I’ve seen companies put millions into a custom developer who is paid to write codes but not contractually obligated to finish it.
“I’ve seen custom development jobs become a time and material money pit,” he says. But Meikle says that the cost involved with custom software has the potential to become astronomical.
The software can be created around your specifications. Obviously one of the biggest pluses to working with a custom developer and having software designed specifically for your needs is the customizability factor. It really helps to rely on others’ experiences when making these kinds of decisions.” That’s something social workers haven’t always been very involved with but I think that’s changing. “Belonging to peer groups can be very helpful for these kinds of discussions. “Look at other social services organizations that have successfully implemented off-the-shelf packages or have developed custom software,” Meikle says. The first research step toward deciding what package might be the best fit for your practice is looking at what your peers are doing, says Mike Meikle, CEO of the Hawkthorne Group and an IT consultant with experience in the human services sector. “Whatever is ultimately chosen will be a major investment not only of dollars but time, training, and resources.” “Social workers must educate themselves-a tricky but necessary process,” Mee says. Mee, president of SecureHIM, a boutique consulting firm that provides top-tier services in risk, governance, and compliance for health care and affiliated organizations. A tremendous amount of research should be expected when deciding on any software package, says William J. Many social workers are not accustomed to working with software, let alone making big purchasing decisions on what package is best for a practice. As with anything, there are pros and cons to each option that must be considered. As more social services offices begin to implement software programs to manage their cases and run their practices, one big decision that will arise is whether to buy software that is off-the-shelf or a package that is custom built.