CaseWave case management software by Shortgrass is exceptional in the way their design team has committed to learning every aspect of the Home and Community Based Services program, the policies and procedures, and the requirements from the state.
Shortgrass is continually accepting our feedback and promptly making improvements that make our work flow so much easier; just one example out of many is, the downloadable file from CaseWave that the design team made available which has client information that can be used for the HCBS monthly utilization report that is a requirement from the state.
CaseWave has automated our processes, which is a big cost and time saving benefit, which is passed on to our clients and providers.
Having the information available when away from the office and being able to do service plans, re-evals, and wait list information while at the home visit has been a huge benefit for case managers and office staff, because of the information being readily available.
It would truly be devastating to lose CaseWave as it is a one-of-a-kind software, with many specific features that the teams have asked for and the Shortgrass designers have installed.
There are many software companies that can produce software and boast that their software can do what you want, but for the software to truly be functional and meet the needs of the case management teams, there is only one software company that has that kind of exceptional support & design and that company is Shortgrass.
Marie Ann Kimerly
Administrative Assistant
Community Medical Center
Home and Community Based Services
Missoula, Montana
I would like to comment on the CaseWave system. I am new to the case management position but would like to say how impressed I am with the software system. In comparision to other programs I have used, this is extremely user friendly. The design and how it flows so seamlessly between the required elements of our documentation is quick, easy and fantastic. I love how interactive it and simplistic it really is. Other systems are so cumbersome, time consuming and frustrating to say the least.
The customer service is phenomenal, and programmers brilliant. Thank you.Tammy Berryman, RN
Spectrum Medical
Our team is nearing the two year mark with Shortgrass and CaseWave. We have been extremely pleased with not only the program, but with the relationship we have with Shortgrass staff. They are responsive to the issues we face with service delivery, policy compliance and recording our work.
I have used a number of other programs through my work in the field which has spanned 34 years, including programs that millions of dollars were spent on, but that in reality, did not work as intended. With all of those programs, changes were not possible after the initial product was rolled out which led to great frustration for those actually doing the work in the field and entering the data. We do not have that issue with CaseWave as production and changes are made as our program, policy and service delivery evolve and our needs change.
In the future, I really hope that the Department will take advantage of the great thing we have going here and expand it's use to include all of the stand alone programs we now use. I believe the sky is the limit with CaseWave.
Our cases continue to become more complex and the demands on workers time greater. It is vital that our CM computer software evolve with the work so that we can continue to do actual Case Management and not waste time with software and programs that are clumsy or do not work. The later takes us all away from why we are here in the first place.
Todd Wood, SW
Team Manager
Area II Agency on Aging
Roundup, MT
To Whom It May Concern
I am a Social Work Case Manager. I have been working with Community Medical Center's Home and Community Based Services for 5 ½ years. Prior to this position as I was attending college I worked at The University of Montana as the School of Education Department IT Tech/Support person.
Our team has been exceptionally impressed with our CaseWave Software by Shortgrass on a number of levels. First and foremost, it is apparent by the customization and flow that Shortgrass has a clear understanding of case manager's roles, policies, billing and Home and Community Based Services in general. Shortgrass is constantly striving to improve systems. They demonstrate this by soliciting for feedback, clarifying with the state and teams, and making prompt changes. They have also built in systems to help departments by putting in means to ease the work of making labels, billing and developing a case alert system. This is not just a system that has forms. This system helps outline the process of case management from wait-list to intake to intermittent and to discharge.
Individual teams have been willing and advocating for the purchase of this software as we have seen the cost and time saving benefits. Having CaseWave has been a major systems improvement for Home and Community Based Services.
It would be devastating to lose this software as no other company/software could exceed CaseWave. Case management teams would be at a loss with all of their dedicated time and money that they invested into CaseWave. This is truly a one of a kind software that comes with a one of a kind support.
Cris Fleming Bloxom, BSW
Social Work Case Manager
Community Medical Center
Home and Community Based Services
Missoula, MT
To who it may concern:
I am a social worker with the Medicaid Waiver Program through Community Medical Center. I have worked with the Waiver program since 1987. I have at times struggled with computer work since I am and older worker. The CaseWave Software by Shortgrass has been the easiest system I have worked with since I started my career in 1979. The owner of the company totally understands our job and each function of her software makes sense to me. I am able to access all the important information I need for my job and my clients have benefited from this system. The tech support has blown me out of the water. She knows my thoughts and actions almost before I do. She takes all of our ideas and changes things in the system if they will make our jobs easier. She has met with representatives from all the teams to get our input and suggestions. I was afraid I could not learn it during our training day. She presented things so well I walked away feeling I was a successful computer user.
The past 5 years I have seen government agencies I interact with struggle with the software programs set up by outside computer systems. They have not worked out well. My clients have suffered greatly in obtaining services from Medicaid and the SNAP program. The lag time has compromised their living situation and access to health care. The old saying "why fix it if it isn't broken" fits my feelings exactly.
It would be devastating to lose a great program along with the best tech support I have encountered in my years of working. Our program keeps folks out of nursing homes and this software is an added bonus to keeping folks at home. We have already incurred the expense and it has been worth every penny. This is coming from a person who is very leery of technology.
Kathy Flynn, MSW
Community Medical Center
Home and Community Based Services
Missoula, Montana
I love the CaseWave software that has been taylor made for the State Medicaid Waiver Program. In the beginning, I was somewhat skeptical but quickly realized what a user friendly software program Shortgrass designed. What I respect about Shortgrass is they took the time to learn what we do and then designed CaseWave to fit our needs. The program makes it quick and easy to access tech support to address problems and difficulties. Not only is tech support prompt, but they actually encourage new ideas and challenges--I love that approach! CaseWave is set up in a logical step by step process that is so easy to follow and access. New information and changes are posted on an ongoing basis with a directory assistance so we can learn more about the changes. The program improves communication and the ability to make smooth transfers/ transitions between teams. It has improved access to information that speeds up productions, cuts paper waste, balances budgets, generates reports, and identifies errors--and so much more.
Thank you CaseWave, you have turned a skeptic into a believer!
Vicki Robeson, MSW
Community Medical Center
Home and Community Based Services
Missoula, Montana
Thank you for giving me the opportunity to write in support of CaseWave Software by Shortgrass. I speak from the viewpoint of a health professional who has been recently trained on two other electronic medical record systems.
I am begging you to look closely at CaseWave, because I believe they should be the standard by which you measure other EMRs. Shortgrass created a system that builds closely on the system it was designed for. It is intuitive to use. It does not need work-arounds. In my other position, we were not provided with the templates that we needed initially, so we were promised templates within 6 months of installing the Electronic Health Records. Shortgrass responds within days. Nine months later, there is still no mention of the templates we need. In the other systems, the agency that bought the software is being left to hire and train their own IT staff to learn and adapt the system.
Shortgrass has learned the system for which they are trying to build software and they build the adaptations themselves. It's wonderful having a Montana-based company who has been committed to our Long Term Care and Home and Community Based Services. It just gets better over time.
Sue Kirchmyer, RN CC M CDE
Community Medical Center
Home and Community Based Services
Missoula, Montana
I have worked with several different electronic medical record systems and I have found CaseWave the most intuitive of them all. It was built with the Medicaid Waiver program in mind so everything was built with the purpose of making our jobs easier. It is also easy to request assistance and I never have to wait more than a few hours for a response.
Cheryl Shearer, RN
Community Medical Center
Home and Community Based Services
Missoula, Montana
MedWave case management program has changed our lives as case managers. Never did I think that taking the time to learn a new program, or asking our employer to invest a large sum of money, would have such far reaching consequences. Because of MedWave we have been able to bring uniformity to our practice, back each other up in emergencies with greater efficiency, develop plans with greater depth, all benefitting the clients we work with. I encourage you to keep the investment in MedWave going. It benefits everyone.
Sue Gravatt, BSW
Community Medical Center
Home and Community Based Services
Missoula, Montana
As a social worker who is relatively new to the world of HCBS, I have found the CaseWave system has helped me figure out and complete the processes I need to as a case manager. It is extremely user-friendly and Teresa at Shortgrass has been very responsive to questions and ideas. The software helps me keep track of upcoming deadlines and allows me to be more productive. It also streamlines communication between team members, as well as with other teams around the state. I have used electronic health records in the past and no other system has been better tailored to my job. Having had the chance now to grow familiar with and appreciate CaseWave, I would hate to lose it. I don't believe any other system could work this well.
Amy Hill, MSW
Community Medical Center
Home and Community Based Services
Missoula, Montana
I am writing to express what a positive experience it has been for our company to start using the current MedWave software with the HCBS program! Not only has it helped our agency to improve how it organizes its client case information, but the administrative support has been exceptional at quickly improving processes when any concerns or suggestions are brought to their attention. This program is far more supportive and superior to any other case software I have used in other positions! It is clear that as we start to utilize this software that in time we will be able to do our jobs more efficiently, which enables us to spend more time with our clientele and do our jobs better! Finally, the system is very user friendly and offers more tracking supports than what we had prior to using this system. It would be a huge loss to lose this system now, not only because of what all our company has invested in it, but also since it is making such a big impact on how we are able to do our job more smoothly and professionally!
Esther McBryde
HCBS Social Work Case Manager
Community Medical Center
Home and Community Based Services
Missoula, Montana
I'd like to express my support for MedWave electronic charting system. It has been fairly easy to learn and use. Teresa/MedWave has been very helpful to our system, learning all she could to improve and make things easier, flow smoothly. Coming from someone who is technologically challenged, this is saying A LOT! Our company has spent a lot of financial and time resources to become proficient with MedWave. The thought of starting over again with a different system that is unfamiliar with our program sounds unnecessary, unwanted and a plain waste of time. Please keep MedWave, we and our clients are benefitting from this fine tuned system.
Laura Sherry
Community Medical Center
Home and Community Based Services
Missoula, Montana
CaseWave developed by Shortgrass Web is a comprehensive highly specified system responsive to the needs and policies of the Home and Community Based Service case managers, consumers and the reports required by the State; hence, allowing more time for the consumer. This program has been and continues to evolve reflecting our needs at a time when the needs of our consumers are becoming more complex, which is a time-saving, quality assuring feature. Not only is CaseWave user-friendly, the technological assistance is timely, friendly and highly motivated in solving issues (which are few), but visionary in developing this program and how it might interface with other programs in which we share common consumers once again maximizing consumer service. I would strongly recommend the State consider this program as electronic medical records becomes a necessary and required aspect of a 21st century healthcare provider - promoting consumer independence, choice and documentation of our service(s) to each consumer.
Bonnie Hofer, RN
Holy Rosary Hospital
Miles City, MT