CAREWare uses the configuration in Client Matching Setup for adding clients, importing client data, and merging client records. Client Matching Setup also affects matching when the URN demographics fields are changed in a record, including first name, middle name, last name, date of birth (DOB), and gender. Client matching is intended to prevent duplication of client records and ensure that client-level data is added to the correct record.

Demographics Data Used for Client Scoring

CAREWare uses specific demographics fields when scoring clients as potential matches. Specifically, CAREWare uses:

• First name
• Middle Name
• Last Name
• Gender
• Date of Birth

The weight of each field is determined by the settings in the Client Matching Setup.

Methodology for Client Match Scoring in CAREWare

The Client Matching Scoring Setup provides CAREWare Administrators with several options to tailor client scoring to their specific programmatic requirements.

 The default settings are:

• Client Match Threshold: 70
• First Name First Letter Deduction: 20
• First Name Overall Deduction: 5
• Middle Name First Letter Deduction: 0 (shown as Middle Letter Deduction)
• Middle Name Overall Deduction: 0
• Last Name First Letter Deduction: 20 (shown as Last Letter Deduction)
• Last Name Overall Deduction: 5
• Gender Overall Deduction: 0
• DOB Per Year Deduction: 2
• DOB Month Deduction: 18
• DOB Day Deduction: 16
• DOB Max Year Deduction: 18

Client Match Threshold

CAREWare uses the Client Match Threshold to determine which clients are considered as potential matches and, therefore, shown in lists when adding clients, merging clients, and importing clients with the Manually Add option chosen in the Import Settings under Adding New Clients. Providers may opt to decrease the threshold (i.e., 60% versus 70%) to see a longer list of potential matches or increase the threshold (i.e., 85% versus 70%) to see a shorter list of potential matches.

Deductions for First, Middle, and Last Name

CAREWare calculates the deduction for name based on the settings, as well as an algorithm that determines the weight of differences between client names. The same methodology is used for first, middle, and last name.

The same methodology is used for middle name and last name. Each condition is exclusive, meaning that only one calculation is used for the first, middle, and last name deductions.

Deduction for Gender

If Client A and Client B have different genders, CAREWare uses the Gender Overall Deduction.

Deductions for Date of Birth

The date of birth deduction considers month, day, and year independently.

Month and Day Deductions

• If Client A has a different DOB month than Client B, CAREWare uses the Month Deduction. If the DOB months are the same, CAREWare does not deduct for the DOB month.
• If Client A has a different DOB day than Client B, CAREWare uses the Day Deduction. If the DOB days are the same, CAREWare does not deduct for DOB day.

Year Deduction

For the DOB year deduction, CAREWare uses a Per Year Calculation that relies, in part, on the Per Year Deduction in the settings.

Per Year Calculation = Year Difference in Client DOBs x Per Year Deduction

• If Client A DOB Year is the same as Client B DOB Year, the deduction for DOB year is 0.
• If the Per Year Calculation is greater than the Max Year/DOB Year Deduction, CAREWare uses the Max Year/DOB Year Deduction.
• If the Per Year Calculation is less than or equal to the Max Year/DOB Year Deduction, CAREWare uses the Per Year Calculation.

Total Deduction for Client Scoring

CAREWare adds up the deductions for first name, middle name, last name, gender, and date of birth to determine the final score of the potential match client.

Match Score = 100 – (First Name Deduction + Middle Name Deduction + Last Name Deduction + DOB Year Deduction + DOB Month Deduction + DOB Day Deduction)

The CAREWare Client Match Scoring Worksheet is a tool that can be used by CAREWare Administrators to see how each setting in the Client Matching Setup changes scoring, as well as the specific deductions being used for each section.

How to Configure Client Matching Setup in CAREWare 

Client Matching Setup is located in Central Administration. The settings cannot be accessed in provider domains. 

1. Click Administrative Options.

2. Click Data Import and Export Features.

3. Click Client Matching Setup.