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Client Data Toolkit: Customizing

Original Publication Date: April 18, 2012
Last Updated: June 24, 2024
Estimated Read Time: 3 minutes

Functional Requirements: What Does Your System Need To Do?

Once you have assembled your project team, written the scope document, and analyzed your workflow, it is time to create the Functional Requirements. This is a list of features that you want in your Client Data Management System. A broad general overview list of features is often referred to as the “High Level Requirements”. If you are given your list to a consultant or database developer, they will probably need a more detailed list with very specific descriptions of each feature.

The following list can be used to generate ideas for your own list. You probably won’t need all of the features on this list. But you will certainly need some of them. And it’s worth taking the time to go through every feature to consider whether you will need it either now, later or never. Depending on the client data management system you currently have, and your vision for what you would like, your completed Functional Requirements list may be short, medium or long.

Possible functional requirements for a Client Data Management System:

Case Management
Client Aftercare and Follow-Up
Client Assessments
Client Benefits Determination
Client Compliance
Client Demographics
Client Discharge
Client Eligibility Determination
Client Medication Tracking
Client Objectives and Interventions
Client Outcome Tracking
Client Prognosis
Client Progress Notes
Client Registration
Client Treatment Plan
Contact Management
Document Management

Clinic Management
Clinical Reminders and Alerts
Disclosure Requests
Information & Referral Reference
Provider Caseload Management
Provider Licensure Tracking
Provider Time Tracking
Scheduling

Medical Billing
Client Billing Data
Client Financial Determination
Client Insurance Management
Client Service Capture

Program Evaluation
Custom Reporting Tool
Service Utilization Analysis
Outcome and Evaluation Reports

Infrastructure & Interface
Customization of Data Entry Froms
Data Import and Export
Data Migration
HIPAA Security

Data Model for a Client Data Management System

This toolkit includes a generic data model for the client services database of a Torture Treatment Center. This model is a generic representaion of the type of data that might be used by a Torture Treatment Center providing direct client care services. There are thirty-one tables used for client demographics.

Download the Data Model [pdf]

Reports and Queries

Reporting is one of the most critical pieces of an electronic medical system.

Graphic of people all looking at a piece of paper with writing on itResearch and Statistics Packages

WinIDAMS(link is external) is a software package for the validation, manipulation and statistical analysis of data, developed by the UNESCO Secretariat in co-operation with experts from various countries. It is distributed free-of-charge upon request.

Measuring Client Services Outcomes

Program outcome measurement is the regular, systematic tracking of the results of program activities for clients.

United Way: Community Impact Resources(link is external) – Twelve documents in PDF format with information on implementing program outcome measurement and building agency capacity for outcome measurement.

Resources on Data Model Planning

Check out the next section of the toolkit: Implementing a Client Data Management System

Resources