Case Compass Guide
Introduction to case management information systems
What is a case management information system and what is it for?
Case management doesn’t require computer software, but a case management information system (CMIS)
can improve the process. This specially designed software is intended for social workers, and helps
facilitate the unique relationship between beneficiaries and social services. It helps people working
on cases in their day-to-day activities and supports all phases of the case management process.
A CMIS is a client-centered system. It includes modules that mirror the steps in case management: intake, assessment, planning, implementation, monitoring, evaluation, and closure. IT professionals can design it to support any benefit or service where case management is appropriate, for instance in labor market activation or child and family social work. Anywhere there are repeated interactions between social workers and beneficiaries, a CMIS can be built to support case workers’ workflows.
This flexibility is one of the main benefits of using a CMIS. Case workers get support for their specific workflows, in a software program designed for them, reducing the reliance on pen and paper or a collection of inadequate digital tools. This cuts down on administrative tasks and ensures each beneficiary goes through a coherent case management process.
A CMIS is a client-centered system. It includes modules that mirror the steps in case management: intake, assessment, planning, implementation, monitoring, evaluation, and closure. IT professionals can design it to support any benefit or service where case management is appropriate, for instance in labor market activation or child and family social work. Anywhere there are repeated interactions between social workers and beneficiaries, a CMIS can be built to support case workers’ workflows.
This flexibility is one of the main benefits of using a CMIS. Case workers get support for their specific workflows, in a software program designed for them, reducing the reliance on pen and paper or a collection of inadequate digital tools. This cuts down on administrative tasks and ensures each beneficiary goes through a coherent case management process.
What can a CMIS do?
A CMIS can support all phases of the case management journey – from intake to closure – with standard
features. If required, engineers and designers can also build unique modules to match countries’
particular needs. The goal of a CMIS is to enable social workers to manage cases in a tool designed
for them. To learn more about what kind of work a CMIS can support, check out the overview below, and
learn about the Case Compass Prototype.
Paperless processing
Digitize case records for work without paper or physical files.
Access from anywhere
Pull up necessary data in the office or in the field, online or off.
Centralized data management
Keep data about cases in one dedicated system.
Improved efficiency
Resolve cases efficiently through effective collaboration.
Increased transparency
Increase transparency with clear audit trails.
Coordinated services
Improve and personalize service provision.
Who benefits from a CMIS?
For social workers – the main users – a case management information system lets them assess
beneficiaries, monitor service provision, evaluate beneficiaries’ progress, and carry out other
necessary tasks. Because a CMIS stores records about a beneficiary and their case, social workers
using the software have more information easily available when starting client work. The system
can also organize social workers’ daily administrative responsibilities, helping them cut down
bureaucracy so they can spend more time with clients.
Social workers and other case management practitioners
For social workers – the main users – a case management information system lets them assess
beneficiaries, monitor service provision, evaluate beneficiaries’ progress, and carry out other
necessary tasks. Because a CMIS stores records about a beneficiary and their case, social workers
using the software have more information easily available when starting client work. The system
can also organize social workers’ daily administrative responsibilities, helping them cut down
bureaucracy so they can spend more time with clients.
Increased efficiency and interaction with a social worker also help beneficiaries. In addition to
improved service provision, beneficiaries might also benefit from specific CMIS modules designed
for them. While the main user of a CMIS is always the case management practitioner, the software
can send beneficiaries reminders about upcoming meetings and link them to online case resources,
like courses and activities. At the most sophisticated level, a CMIS can include a beneficiary
portal that grants clients access to their intervention plans, reducing the need for paper and the
chances of documents being lost. Even when this level of sophistication isn’t built into the software,
however, beneficiaries should see more efficient services with the implementation of a CMIS.
Beneficiaries
Increased efficiency and interaction with a social worker also help beneficiaries. In addition to
improved service provision, beneficiaries might also benefit from specific CMIS modules designed
for them. While the main user of a CMIS is always the case management practitioner, the software
can send beneficiaries reminders about upcoming meetings and link them to online case resources,
like courses and activities. At the most sophisticated level, a CMIS can include a beneficiary
portal that grants clients access to their intervention plans, reducing the need for paper and the
chances of documents being lost. Even when this level of sophistication isn’t built into the software,
however, beneficiaries should see more efficient services with the implementation of a CMIS.
Decision makers can also make use of a CMIS, especially the information it collects and makes
available. By looking at data aggregated by the software, policymakers can monitor program
implementation with little lag between data collection and analysis. They can then better plan
services to meet beneficiaries’ changing needs, or monitor any gaps and emerging risks in current
programs. In all cases, a CMIS helps enforce a standardized case management process that ensures
consistent and high-quality services for everyone involved in a case.
Program administrators
Decision makers can also make use of a CMIS, especially the information it collects and makes
available. By looking at data aggregated by the software, policymakers can monitor program
implementation with little lag between data collection and analysis. They can then better plan
services to meet beneficiaries’ changing needs, or monitor any gaps and emerging risks in current
programs. In all cases, a CMIS helps enforce a standardized case management process that ensures
consistent and high-quality services for everyone involved in a case.
How are CMISes different from other systems social workers use?
A CMIS shouldn’t be confused with a social registry. A social registry supports the processes
that determine eligibility for a social program. It's designed to collect and maintain
up-to-date information about potential beneficiaries, and to help identify and reach out to
them.¹ It isn’t used to manage a specific benefit or service. Instead, it functions like a
customer relation management (CRM) system that businesses use. While a social registry can
help beneficiaries sign up for a social service and check their eligibility, and while it can
also help social workers communicate with potential beneficiaries, the service or benefit
itself isn’t managed there. It acts as a repository for client information. It doesn’t help
case workers through their workflows like a CMIS does. To learn more about the difference
between social registries and a CMIS, visit the FAQs.
Social registry
A CMIS shouldn’t be confused with a social registry. A social registry supports the processes
that determine eligibility for a social program. It's designed to collect and maintain
up-to-date information about potential beneficiaries, and to help identify and reach out to
them.¹ It isn’t used to manage a specific benefit or service. Instead, it functions like a
customer relation management (CRM) system that businesses use. While a social registry can
help beneficiaries sign up for a social service and check their eligibility, and while it can
also help social workers communicate with potential beneficiaries, the service or benefit
itself isn’t managed there. It acts as a repository for client information. It doesn’t help
case workers through their workflows like a CMIS does. To learn more about the difference
between social registries and a CMIS, visit the FAQs.
The beneficiary registry is a database of the recipients of a benefit or service. If
the program doesn't include case management, a CMIS wouldn’t be relevant. If it does
use case management, the registry will include information on the beneficiaries, but
isn’t designed to facilitate the case management process. Engineers and designers can
build a CMIS to interoperate with a beneficiary registry and use the data it contains,
however.
Beneficiary registry
The beneficiary registry is a database of the recipients of a benefit or service. If
the program doesn't include case management, a CMIS wouldn’t be relevant. If it does
use case management, the registry will include information on the beneficiaries, but
isn’t designed to facilitate the case management process. Engineers and designers can
build a CMIS to interoperate with a beneficiary registry and use the data it contains,
however.
Administrative systems, like time-tracking software and other enterprise resource
planning systems, report case managers’ working hours, cost calculations, or other
metrics, but don’t directly facilitate case management. Many of these systems are
called “integrated” or “management,” and are usually confused with a proper case
management information system. Case Compass, however, seeks to promote the use of
CMISes that facilitate the case management process.
Enterprise resource planning systems
Administrative systems, like time-tracking software and other enterprise resource
planning systems, report case managers’ working hours, cost calculations, or other
metrics, but don’t directly facilitate case management. Many of these systems are
called “integrated” or “management,” and are usually confused with a proper case
management information system. Case Compass, however, seeks to promote the use of
CMISes that facilitate the case management process.
A beneficiary operations management system supports the high-level administration of
programs. It “automates information processing for eligibility and enrollment decisions,
decisions on benefits, the provision of benefits and services, and beneficiary
operations management (including beneficiary data management, monitoring of compliance
with conditionalities, grievance redress, and decisions on exit).”² Such a system
generates payment records, for instance, or checks beneficiaries’ eligibility against
enrollment criteria. This information processing is obviously necessary for case
management workers to do their jobs, but it is only a part of the work between a worker
and a client.
A case management information system is designed to support case management workers in their day-to-day tasks. It can interoperate with a BOMS (calling in information on payments disbursed, unmet conditionalities, etc.) but a CMIS’s main purpose is to facilitate the workflows essential to an ongoing relationship between a case management worker and their clients. Whereas a BOMS may process data about benefit payments or enrollment criteria, a case management information system is the interface case management workers use in the field to see, make sense of, and act on that information.
A case management information system is designed to support case management workers in their day-to-day tasks. It can interoperate with a BOMS (calling in information on payments disbursed, unmet conditionalities, etc.) but a CMIS’s main purpose is to facilitate the workflows essential to an ongoing relationship between a case management worker and their clients. Whereas a BOMS may process data about benefit payments or enrollment criteria, a case management information system is the interface case management workers use in the field to see, make sense of, and act on that information.
Beneficiary operations management system (BOMS; also known as an MIS)
A beneficiary operations management system supports the high-level administration of
programs. It “automates information processing for eligibility and enrollment decisions,
decisions on benefits, the provision of benefits and services, and beneficiary
operations management (including beneficiary data management, monitoring of compliance
with conditionalities, grievance redress, and decisions on exit).”² Such a system
generates payment records, for instance, or checks beneficiaries’ eligibility against
enrollment criteria. This information processing is obviously necessary for case
management workers to do their jobs, but it is only a part of the work between a worker
and a client.
A case management information system is designed to support case management workers in their day-to-day tasks. It can interoperate with a BOMS (calling in information on payments disbursed, unmet conditionalities, etc.) but a CMIS’s main purpose is to facilitate the workflows essential to an ongoing relationship between a case management worker and their clients. Whereas a BOMS may process data about benefit payments or enrollment criteria, a case management information system is the interface case management workers use in the field to see, make sense of, and act on that information.
A case management information system is designed to support case management workers in their day-to-day tasks. It can interoperate with a BOMS (calling in information on payments disbursed, unmet conditionalities, etc.) but a CMIS’s main purpose is to facilitate the workflows essential to an ongoing relationship between a case management worker and their clients. Whereas a BOMS may process data about benefit payments or enrollment criteria, a case management information system is the interface case management workers use in the field to see, make sense of, and act on that information.
¹ Learn more about social registries in the
Sourcebook on the Foundations of Social Protection
Delivery Systems
. This definition comes from the Sourcebook glossary (page 437).
² Learn more about the role of a BOMS in the
Playbook on Dynamic Inclusion and Interoperability
,
available for download from the World Bank.
What are a case management information system’s limitations?
Global experience has shown that a CMIS is not a substitute for good social protection practices
or strong social protection capacity. Since the software is only a tool, its effectiveness
depends on the effectiveness of the programs, benefits, and workforce it supports. Strengthening
local service providers’ capacity to administer programs and carry out case management – either
through
legislative enablement, process standardization,
social worker training, or more
– should remain top priorities for countries looking to
improve social services.
On its own, CMIS also won’t enable coordination between different local agencies. For the most complex cases, where beneficiaries present a variety of needs, protocols to help different agencies work together should already be in place (or planned). Agreements should exist, for instance, on how agencies refer clients to another agency, or how multi-professional teams of experts should be formed. Information systems and the consistent data they provide can improve this coordination, but the culture and processes for cooperation must exist to reap the benefits of software.
On its own, CMIS also won’t enable coordination between different local agencies. For the most complex cases, where beneficiaries present a variety of needs, protocols to help different agencies work together should already be in place (or planned). Agreements should exist, for instance, on how agencies refer clients to another agency, or how multi-professional teams of experts should be formed. Information systems and the consistent data they provide can improve this coordination, but the culture and processes for cooperation must exist to reap the benefits of software.
