Information Technology Reference
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repeated measures, before and after comparisons
and post program comparisons. Finally, effective-
ness is evaluated by examining changes in risk
or outcomes amongst the client populations. Risk
factors that include for example mental health or
general health problems are measured to determine
the impact of the program.
facilitated success in competing for additional
funding and resources. On the other hand they
identified lack of access to technical resources to
solve problems and inadequate software and staff
time to complete these requirements.
Introduction and effective use of case manage-
ment software systems, such as Penelope will take
time. There are some fundamental requirements
including the involvement of all staff and stake-
holders in the planning, and the support of senior
management and the board of directors. Data
collection methods, analysis and interpretation of
results may need to be supported with additional
technical expertise. The system is developed on
a trial and error basis with a process of testing,
evaluating and making improvements before it
meets the needs of management, practitioners
and funding bodies. Once established, improve-
ments and modification will also be required.
Throughout this process, a range of problems
will be presented especially in relation to the
quality of agency records. Hatry (2004) identi-
fied issues in relation to missing and incomplete
data, aggregated data where information is not
classified into useful and pertinent categories,
quality control for the reasonableness of data
and privacy issues.
caSe management
SoftWare anD reporting
Software programs provide a mechanism for
information collection. Penelope software allows
tracking of client activity from demographic char-
acteristics of the population and program related
perspectives to clinical outcomes. A wide variety
of reports can be used to answer basic practice and
administrative questions and to allow performance
monitoring. Custom surveys can easily be built
into the system by users. In addition, the Penelope
case management software system includes public
domain outcome and evaluation templates that
can be used in outcome studies and for inclusion
in quasi experimental designs and randomized
experimental studies. Examples include Brief
Psychiatric Rating Scale, General Satisfaction
Survey, Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale, Global
Assessment of Functioning Scale, and Family/
Couple Outcomes Survey. Proprietary scales can
also be used with this software.
Although this software is both powerful and
flexible, the introduction and ongoing manage-
ment of performance measures, outcome studies
and the incorporation of experimental studies does
present challenges for organizations. The United
Way ofAmerica (2000) recognizing that many not
for profit organizations were using performance
monitoring, required the development of outcome
measures as part of funding requirements. They
followed up many funded organization with a
survey examining the impact of this requirement.
Many agencies identified outcome measurement
as helpful as it enhanced record keeping and
tHe future
Demonstration of effectiveness using manage-
ment information systems is here to stay. Soft-
ware programs to support these initiatives will
increasingly be adopted with funder demands and
as organizations effectively using such systems
will gain competitive funding advantages. Ef-
fective software solutions in the human services
sector will be ones that address a combination
of priorities including cost effectiveness, ease
of use, user and system security, decision sup-
port and evaluative support. In addition, flexible
systems that can accommodate the diverse needs,
best practices and specific logic models of human
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