HIFIS Data Analysis Framework

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Data Analysis Toolbox

Training tools are currently being developed to help HIFIS CCs enhance HIFIS data quality and make the most of HIFIS data.

The HIFIS Data Analysis Framework

The HIFIS Data Analysis Framework gives an overview of the CC roles and responsibilities in analysing data and using a series of data integrity and data analysis tools, including reporting tools and data coordination models.

Data integrity tools

The HIFIS 3 software is constantly being improved to meet the needs of HIFIS CCs. The HIFIS data integrity tools are now part of the latest version of the HIFIS 3 software. Here is a summary of the key functions further described in the training guide to assist HIFIS users in the identification and correction of data quality issues at the site level.

1. “Name duplicates”- This function will allow HIFIS users to search for duplicate clients. It can search for exact or similar first name, last name and/or date of birth, and run the search to show a match of 100 percent or less.
2. “Invalid birth dates”- This function allows users to see if a database contains inaccurate date of birth, such as less than 0 and/or more than 125 years old .
3. “Broken links/bad values” - This function will analyse a database to find any broken links or bad values between tables within HIFIS. If broken links or bad values are found, the table and client’s name will be displayed. The log file can be viewed in order to see the data integrity analysis results.
4. “Stay date chronology” - This function is a stay dates analyzer, which will display the illogical stay dates linked to a client’s record. This function allows the user to modify or delete illogical stay dates and also to select auto-swap when dates are reversed.
5. “Concurrent stays” - This function displays client records that have overlapping stays. Stay dates can be modified from here.
6. “VFP command window” - This function allows the user to open a table in the database to fix a value. To perform this function, the user must request an authorization code valid for one day only.

Community reporting tools

Various community tools are being developed to analyze the data from the 10 mandatory fields (“shelter users,” “shelter use” and “patterns in the use of shelters”) and some are proposing the addition of fields to broaden the range of reports and tools. Tools such as the HIFIS Community Report and the Crystal Reports Toolkit improve community-level reporting capacity.

As mentioned earlier and in Appendix 1, the Yellowknife Community Report can be used as a step-by-step guide to assist CCs in using the 10 mandatory fields to produce their own HIFIS Community Report. The Yellowknife report provides a structure and a series of calculations to follow, using specific HIFIS data fields, to produce the various tables in the report. This HIFIS Community Report will serve as a data analysis primer to introduce HIFIS CCs to data analysis methods, models and tools.

Data coordination models

Data coordination at the community level is illustrated in the Model and Startup Tool Kit to produce an annual community report card on homelessness. The report card approach can also be used by stakeholders interested in the development of a Regional Data Coordination (RDC) model as mentioned on page 7.

Community report cards on homelessness

The HIFIS Initiative provides the Community Report Card on Homelessness Tool Kit and training to assist communities that have HIFIS CCs to get the most out of HIFIS data. The toolkit contains concrete examples of how to use HIFIS data at the local and regional levels, to help CCs support the process in producing community report cards on homelessness and other local reports. The HIFIS Initiative supported this systematization of the work done by the Ottawa Alliance to End Homelessness in producing an annual community report card on homelessness. It will serve as model in providing information and explanations to communities that want to reproduce promising approaches and best practices in generating their own report cards.

Regional level training tools

HIFIS trainers support communities and regions in the development of an RDC model, as well as training tools described earlier in this document. The RDC model will highlight the need for an agreement among the majority of shelter service providers who use HIFIS and are trained in HIFIS 3 to sign an HIFIS Data Sharing Protocol. It will explain the necessity of having a broad coverage of HIFIS users who engage in a coordinated effort to collect and share data in support of community analysis, planning and research priorities. It will illustrate other requirements to successfully implement the model, such as the need for HIFIS users to establish a consensus around a core data set, data definitions, reporting and strategies. It will explain how to deal with issues and challenges of regional data coordination and how the approach will be evaluated over time to test its effectiveness.

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