Commonwealth of Massachusetts Executive Office of Health and Human Services Andrea Dodge Chief Admin

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Commonwealth of MassachusettsExecutive Office of
Health and Human ServicesAndrea DodgeChief
Administrative OfficerVirtual Gateway Common
Intake Tool Experience and Results

• Hudson Center for Health Equity Quality
• May 8th 2008

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The Virtual Gateway is an enterprise portal that
supports nine distinct E-government services for
citizens and community providers.
Common Intake Online tool for registered
providers to submit a single application for
multiple programs 307 providers 5,651 users
Provider Data Management Providers monitor, edit,
and upload forms to HHS agencies 485
providers 1,815 users
Senior Info System Online reporting case mgtmt
for Elder Service providers 25 providers 3,140
users
Service Transition Plan Online placement
treatment planning for children in care 300
providers 4,602 users
Homeless Management Bed utilization tracking,
reporting, and case mgmt for shelter
providers 84 providers 1,153 users
eTag Consolidated view of case information for
public assistance programs 1,198 users
IRIS IRIS coordinates scheduling of ASL
interpreters and CART reporters 19 providers 436
users
EIM/ESM Single point for invoice mgmt for
providers HHS agencies 457 providers 3,757
users
HCSIS Incident risk reporting for disability
service programs 237 providers 6,326 users
Shared Security Service
Enterprise Service Bus
Virtual Gateway Business and Technical Operations
Team
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Common Intake Conceptual Overview
Disability Services Services for the legally
blind, mental health condition mental
retardation deaf hard of hearing voc. rehab.
services
Health Childrens Medical Security
Plan Medicaid Womens Health Network
Other Assistance Child Care Home care for
elders Housing assistance Services for veterans
Nutrition Food Stamps Womens Infants and
Children (WIC)

• Community Providers
• Hospitals Community Health Centers
• Shelters
• Independent Living Ctrs
• Aging Services
• Veteran Services
• Family Support
• Mental Health Centers
• Elder Services Providers
• Housing Assistance Providers

Intake
Screening
Consumers
Program Catalog
Renewal
Disability Assessment
My Account Page
Dept Hsng / Comm Dev
Commission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing
Commission for the Blind
Office of Medicaid
Veteran Affairs
Soldiers Homes
Elder Affairs
Child Care
Disability Prog
Mental Health
Public Health
Trans Assistance
Rehab Comsm
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COMMON INTAKE Business Summary, Timeline, and
Milestones
2005
2006
2007
Current Activities in 2008
2004
Graph Represents Cumulative of Applications
Received By Month
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Healthcare led the way in moving from Paper to
Electronic applications
Within 8 months of go-live, 50 of the total
Healthcare application volume from providers
shifted to electronic, within 12 months 78 had
shifted to electronic. Healthcare reform reversed
that trend for a period, but it is starting to
reverse once again.
Initial Inversion at 8 months
Healthcare Reform Impact
Average Number of Applications Per Month
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Healthcare Application Processing time improves
for consumers and providers
The time it takes for an intake provider to
complete an application dropped by 55
The time it takes for a citizen to receive a
Healthcare determination dropped by 68
Minutes
Minutes
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While Healthcare applications boomed via
providers, Food Stamp application volume began to
increase only once the it was made available
directly to citizens
Healthcare applications boom through the provider
channel, eventually saturating the market for
citizens applying for health insurance at
provider sites
Average Number of Applications Per Month
Food Stamp applications volume remains low while
only available through Providers and begins to
take off when offered directly to citizens
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The number of online Food Stamps applications
skyrocketed after the consumer-facing application
was launched statewide in November.
Within just weeks of the rollout, over two-thirds
of all online Food Stamps applications were
submitted by the public using this new tool.
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Food Stamp applications have historically
resulted in a high denial rate. While the initial
application is more accessible, many applicants
dont complete the process
Unlike Healthcare applicants, most Food Stamp
applicants still need to visit a Transitional
Assistance Office to complete an interview. While
Common Intake has made it easier for applicants
to apply, many fail to complete the process and
are eventually denied.
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Lessons Learned

• Think Operating Costs Care and realism required
  when planning operations support efficiencies
  may not be easily captured.
• Its not Just about Technology Changing behavior
  is more difficult than building new technical
  tools aggressive communications, training and
  outreach required.
• Customer-Facing is Untested MA is still
  assessing impact of large number of
  incomplete/incorrect applications. True extent
  of utilization remains unclear.