Public welfare organizations must process voluminous information to select the most appropriate care for a client while satisfying increasingly stringent fiscal requirements. This information comes from a variety of independent and rarely compatible sources with numerous security and confidentiality limitations. To gather, process, analyze, and interpret data, agencies need expensive specialized technology, which further depletes their scarce resources.
A central registry, or data warehouse, is a cost-effective tool that allows human services organizations to share information based on the need and the right to know. A central registry combines county guidelines, best care standards, compliance with authorities, and information technology to promote cooperative decision-making. This tool allows for:
- Uniform display and interpretation of data
- A longitudinal review of data across program silos
- An all-inclusive display of service history
- A person-level analysis of service delivery across programs and funding streams
- A longitudinal analysis of publically funded services
- A foundation for family-based care planning
A vital part of administrative and fiscal integration, a central registry can provide easy access to data for a public welfare agency, consequently enhancing agency workers’ understanding of their community’s service history and special needs, and helping them to plan services more strategically.