S.A.F.E. Intake Assessment Application

Client Intro

The Erie St Clair Victorian Order of Nurses (VON) is one of the 53 VON sites, which together, service 1,200 community across Canada. The Victorian Order of Nurses (VON) is a not-for-profit, national health care organization and registered charity, offering a wide range of community health care solutions that care for Canadians of all ages and stages of life. VON advocates for policies that ensure health care is available and accessible to everyone.

The Challenge

The VON required an update to the organization’s antiquated, paper-based method of collecting and processing patient assessment data in determining eligibility into the S.A.F.E. (Seniors Active in Falls Education) program. The S.A.F.E. program is a research and evidence based exercise and falls prevention program provided by VON Erie St. Clair under the direction of the ESC LHIN and the Ontario Ministry of Health.

In order to determine patient eligibility into the program, patient data was originally collected via paper-based application forms, as well as through instructions found on three paper-based tests and in collection forms provided following each patient test. This paper-based data collection proved to be ineffective at truly capturing the eligibility of patients, as well as compromising the integrity of patient data collection and storage. The manual program assessment process had been deemed time consuming and unreliable by the organization.

The Solution

Wired Solutions developed a fully customized, web-based assessment that used a multi-step, highly intuitive wizard interface to clearly outline the steps and instructions involved in the S.A.F.E. program patient intake application process. Tablets were chosen as the preferred device for collecting and interpreting assessment data, due to the portability of these devices and their ease of use. A desktop view of the application was also developed to accompany the mobile optimized interfaces so as to provide greater flexibility in data entry within the S.A.F.E. program database.

Touch-friendly designs were utilized throughout the Intake Assessment Application in order to support ease-of-use. This method of data collection successfully replaced the previously paper-based process and as result, streamlined internal workflows and reduced the time and resources spent on patient evaluation.

Wired Solutions further developed an encrypted channel to deliver the assessment in order to ensure that patient data would be sent securely to the application’s server and then promptly stored in the database in an encrypted format. Using our extensive experience in high stakes data security protocol for government and public sector organizations, we ensured that the application and accompanying hosting servers fully complied with PHIPA/FIPPA  regulations.

Once assessments are completed, results are automatically generated and then submitted back to the application’s secure data repository. Program intake eligibility is reported back to VON administrators.

Additional modules and features such as the Administrator Reporting module, were developed in response to the growing needs of the S.A.F.E. program and the Erie St. Clair VON. Wired Solutions developed a built-in module that allows administrators to report on S.A.F.E. assessment data using an intuitive search and filter interface.  Our Roles Based security framework was applied to ensure that only users with the appropriate credentials gained access to the reporting interface. Intuitive search and filter options, such as date ranges, patient facilities, and patient health card numbers, as well as keyword search functionality, were incorporate to make it easier for administers to create and locate user-generated reports. Using the Administrator Reporting module, authorized users can export their results list to a CSV file, which includes assessment data, patient data, and the applicant’s answers to each assessment question.

Wired Solutions continues to provide ongoing development for new iterations within the S.A.F.E. Intake Assessment Application, as well as providing hosting and server management services for the Erie St. Clair VON.

Supporting Technologies