Why behavioral health organizations across the U.S. depend on FidelityEHR software:

FidelityEHR is a next-generation electronic health record (EHR) re-conceived to support practitioners with a user-friendly EHR platform that supports the evidence-based principles of Wraparound and integrates research-based clinical care. Unlike other EHRs, FidelityEHR was designed specifically to support behavioral health coordinated services. FidelityEHR functions as an active clinical and administrative decision-making tool that can be used to effectively manage behavioral and physical risk and improve behavioral health outcomes.

FidelityEHR provides a flexible repository of information on participating youth and families, facilitates communication and sharing of information between team members, aids in the supervision and evaluation of staff performance, and provides effective, real-time monitoring of costs, services, implementation and outcomes.

How was FidelityEHR software created?

Built from the ground up specifically for client-centered behavioral health care coordination, we started by surveying over 100 organizations to understand their needs in an EHR. Initially named “TMS,” early and on-going development of FidelityEHR, was supported by a National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) program grant. This federal funding specifically supported a collaborative process that ensured Plan of Care management and other functions aligned with the research-based version of Wraparound care coordination specified and supported by the National Wraparound Initiative.

Supported by the STTR grant funding and a common interest in ensuring the software can best meet the needs of wraparound users, FidelityEHR is engaged in a field testing and research partnership with Dr. Eric Bruns and the University of Washington’s (UW) Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, which hosts the world’s best-recognized research team for Wraparound: the Wraparound Evaluation and Research Team (WERT). This collaboration also ensures that FidelityEHR benefits from the UW WERT’s continually expanding knowledge base, generated from its work to evaluate implementation and outcomes in over 70 behavioral health sites.

Fidelity to the Wraparound practice model

FidelityEHR also interoperates with UW WERT’s WrapTrack, which engages over 680 users in an ongoing effort to measure Wraparound fidelity using validated tools, ensure the alignment of the system to Wraparound principles, and improve client-level youth and family outcomes. For purposes of continued alignment of FidelityEHR with the growing evidence-based Wraparound practice model being increasingly employed in behavioral health nationally, Dr. Bruns and WERT also conduct ongoing evaluation of FidelityEHR supported, in part, by funds from the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH).

Research Findings

Research conducted by Dr. Bruns et al. suggests that FidelityEHR is well-aligned with the practice needs of Wraparound providers and behavioral health practitioners working in system of care (SOC) environments. FidelityEHR receives high “usability” ratings on many measures, including user experience ratings already approaching “Gold standard” benchmarks on standardized user experience measures such as the System Usability Survey (SUS). Given the complexity of EHRs in general, and the many functions embedded in FidelityEHR, such results are viewed as highly encouraging.

FidelityEHR functionally aligns with and supports evidence-based Wraparound care coordination. The platform was highly informed by FidelityEHR’s research partnerships with the National Wraparound Initiative and the University of Washington Wraparound Evaluation & Research Team (UN-WERT).

Comprehensive Management of Client-Level Service Delivery

• Integrates features of measurement feedback systems shown by research to promote improved outcomes
• Data-informed decision-making support as part of the workflow
• Reporting capabilities to support continuous quality improvement
• Extensive cross-system access and control of the features and functions necessary to monitor progress and improve positive outcomes for children and youth

Multi-Level Facilitation and Fidelity to the Evidence-Based Wraparound Model Prominent in Children’s Systems of Care (SOC)

• Incorporation of workflow and task completion reminders to support Wraparound staff while maintaining fidelity throughout critical action steps in the Wraparound process. For example, conducting standardized assessments, developing a crisis plan, identifying natural and community supports, developing and continuously reviewing the Plan of Care, and evaluating progress.
• Maintain and update critical information, including team members, natural supports, family vision, team mission, priority needs, strategies and assessment data.

Effective Management of Braided Funding Streams Across Multiple Agencies

• Integrates funding streams directly into the Plan of Care and Billable Strategies (services)
• Coordinated contact and progress notes into an 837 billable form, aligned specifically to meet the needs of one or more funding streams
• Ability to process billable services using both electronic data exchange and health information exchange