PIMS Resource Center

 
Helpful Hints for New PIMS Sites
last updated 9/28/11

Our site has been in operation for some time.  How much back data should we enter?

Generally you will want to decide on a date in the recent past as your starting point for entering data.  Here is a recommendation for how to proceed:

  1. Choose your start date (e.g., the beginning of the current fiscal year).
  2. Enter all screens and assessments from that date forward.
  3. Enter all basic data for currently active participants:  screens, assessments, intakes, baseline information, first home visits, monthly contact logs, information change records (for changes in Levels of Service and staff changes), birth records, immunizations, well child visits, and developmental screens.
  4. Enter additional data for currently active participants (referrals, medical visits, follow-ups to baseline info, evaluation instruments)
  5. Enter all basic data (as above) plus termination records for participants who were active as of the start date but were subsequently terminated.
  6. Enter additional screens, assessments, and participant data from an earlier timeframe (e.g., previous fiscal year).

How long does it take to enter data into PIMS?

  • It typically takes 10 to 30 minutes per new family to enter initial information (screening, assessment, intake) depending on the skill of the person entering data.
  • It typically takes 10 to 20 minutes per family per month to update participant files.
  • The person doing data entry should do quality assurance as well as data entry.  If the person entering data is not knowledgeable on the errors that can be made when completing the forms, this will require a very significant amount of time of going back to those screens and correcting data.

Keyboard Shortcuts

  • [Control] + [F]- find function
  • [Escape]- discard changes to a record
  • [Tab] and [Shift]+[Tab]- move through fields in a form
  • Edit->Select Record then Edit->Delete to delete a single record
  • To delete a value in a field, must hit [Delete] ([Backspace] won’t work…)

General Tips on Entering Data

  • The quality of your reports will only reflect the quality and consistency of the data that you enter into your forms.
  • You must be consistent with data entry.  For example, if you refer to a single staff member as FAW001 in some cases and FAW01 in others, PIMS will view this as two separate staff members.  Where possible, PIMS requires you to select entries from a “pull-down” list to ensure you choose from available options.
  • Before entering in a new client, do a search for the name to see if it has already been entered.
  • Data will save automatically; you don’t have to save the database periodically.
  • Each form requires a minimum amount of information to be saved; for example, the Staff Information form requires at least a Staff ID and an Employment Date.  Required fields are highlighted in yellow, whereas other fields are white.
  • Use the ‘x’ box in the upper right hand corner of forms to close forms.  This is preferable to the “Close” button, because it will automatically give you information about whether or not you have entered all the necessary data in a form.
  • You can print “ticklers” for some records.  These can serve as reminders as well as pre-entered reports that can be used to save time in manual data entry of forms.  The following forms provide ticklers: Follow-up Information Form, Health Care Tickler, Well Baby Visits, and Immunizations.

Notes on Specific PIMS Forms

Staff Information Entry
  • PIMS tracks staff IDs but not names.  If confidentiality isn’t an issue, you can use names as staff IDs
Immunization Definition
  • allow a one-month window to the latest date
  • PCV #1 to PCV #4 added in new version of PIMS
  • Update All Children button has same effect as “Recalc Due Dates” applied to all children in the program
Well Baby Definition
  • two week window to latest date
  • Update All Children button has same effect as “Recalc Due Dates” applied to all children in the program
Screening Form
  • If your program does not use the standard Risk Factors screening test, you can bypass this.  Set the first risk factor (“Marital status is single, separated, divorced, or widowed”) to True to get a positive outcome, and set at least one risk factor to False to get a negative outcome.  This will not be reflected in any PIMS reports.
Intake Form
  • If you don’t enter a physician’s name or clinic, reports will reflect that the participant has no physician.  If the participant has a physician but you don’t know the physician’s name, you should at least enter the clinic or practice name.
Birth Information Form

Pregnancy ID

Meaning

A

Target child or set of twins, triplets, etc.

B

Next child or set of children in the program

C

Next child or set of children in the program

Child ID

Meaning

0

Single child

1

First child in a set of twins

2

Second child in a set of twins

  • If you don’t enter a pediatrician’s name or clinic, reports will reflect that the child has no pediatrician.  If the child has a pediatrician but you don’t know the pediatrician’s name, you should at least enter the clinic or practice name.
  • Enter a birth as premature only when gestational age <37 weeks.
Monthly Contact Log Form
  • The “No visit/contact between” fields are reflected in caseload reports which are intended for site use only.  However, this field is ignored in all official HFA accreditation reports.
Participant History Form
  • Only use this form to record changes occurring in the history of a participant’s record; specifically, when a participant changes contact information, physician, FSW, level of service, or emergency contact info.
  • If you need to fix mistake in a pre-existing records, you should make the changed in the original form.
  • The date entered on this form should be the date on which the change actually occurred, not today’s date.
Followup Form
  • Print tickler and use this as your new data entry form for next followup period
Well Baby Visit Form
  • Should Recalculate due dates when:
    1. creating a new record
    2. had to update date of birth
Child History Form
  • Only use this form to reflect changes occurring in the history of a child’s record; specifically, when a child changes pediatricians.
  • If you need to fix mistake in a pre-existing records, you should make the changed in the original form.
  • The date entered on this form should be the date on which the change actually occurred, not today’s date.

 
  © Copyright 2007-2019 Prevent Child Abuse America. All rights reserved.