Toolkit with decision points for organizations to consider before undertaking the work to integrate their data across HIV and housing service agencies. The details of data integration are highly dependent on the data systems involved and specific project settings. Thus, the toolkit provides high-level guidance.
Topics Covered in the Toolkit
The Sharing and Integrating HIV Client Data Across Provider Organizations to Improve Service Coordination toolkit contains guidance on the following critical decision points. Each topic presents goals, background information, key questions to ask yourself, and lessons learned from sites.
- Readiness. Identify pre–data system integration activities (e.g., client consent, data sharing agreements, stakeholder engagement).
- Current Service Coordination Deficiencies. Identify primary challenges to client service coordination between partner organizations that could be addressed by data system integration. Strategize on how data integration would improve deficiencies.
- Technical Decisions. Select (1) a data integration model and (2) integrated data system functionalities. These decisions should be made with partners and, in many cases, data system vendors.
- Enhanced Service Coordination. Determine how service or care coordination across providers (hereafter referred to simply as service coordination) should be handled once the data system integration is complete.
- Training on Use of Integrated Data System and Service Coordination. Design trainings to ensure that end users gain proficiency in (1) technical aspects of the newly integrated system and (2) concrete steps for using the new information to enhance service coordination.
- Quality Monitoring. Ensure that providers are using the integrated data system and implementing strategies to improve service coordination.