Skills

Overview

In the Ankota system we have a series of skills that can be assigned to clients and caregivers. These skills can then be used to filter, trigger warnings, and match clients and caregivers using the Find Matching Caregiver function. These skills are the same for both caregivers and clients. 

For example, a client who smokes and needs someone who is comfortable caring for a smoker could have "Smokers OK" assigned to them under their skills section. A caregiver who is comfortable with smokers could also be tagged "Smokers OK."  On the other hand, if you gave the client the skill "Smoker" and the caregiver the skill "Smokers OK," those terms do not match and so the client and caregiver would not be matched up. 

Alternately, you can use a form of skill called tags, which can be used to search for specific attributes. For example, some clients like to "tag" all caregivers who are willing to work overnights, whether for regular pay or overtime. They tag all willing caregivers with "overnight ok" under their skills. If they have a job they cannot cover that is overnight, they sort for the "overnight ok" tag and then offer to those caregivers, avoiding "spamming" caregivers who have no interest in overnight jobs. 

Finally, you can choose to set up skill filters which apply across the board (Visit Approval Dashboard, Schedule Board, Patient Dispatch Board, Update Visits, and Visits). In this way, you could assign all clients to Team 1, 2, or 3, and schedulers could choose to work from a certain viewpoint so they only saw the clients on their applicable team.

See below for further details on skills functionality.

Creating a Skill

Ankota specialists can assist you with adding skills into your system. Alternately, you can create your own. 

To create your own skill,

• Click Settings
• Click Org. Settings (if you have categories)
• Click Skills
• Click Add New

Once you click Add New, you can set a number of options. You must at least give it a name, type, and category. Other options are not required.

• Name: each skill must have a name.
• Type: Select Required or Tag. If you wish to explore other options, work with your Ankota specialist.
• Category: typically use Default.
• Skill Order: to create a list order, number your skills here.
• Expiration Date needed: to set an expiration date, add a date here.
• Show on Patient Registration Form: to make the skill available on the patient registration page, check this box.
• Check for disease: If you wish to explore this option, reach out to Ankota.
• Include Additional Required Skills: If you wish to explore this option, reach out to Ankota. 
• Custom Skill: If you wish to explore this option, reach out to Ankota. 

Assigning a Skill

Any user with access to a client or caregiver can assign a skill. Simply open the caregiver or client profile, click the Skill tab, click Add, check the appropriate skills, and then click Save. Remember, in order for the client and caregiver to match, both the client AND caregiver must have the same skill assigned. 

Please note that the option to add notes to skills is a configurable option. If you do not have them and want them, you can request them. Alternately, you can ask for them to be removed if they are not wanted.

Warnings

Sometimes you will accidentally or intentionally assign a caregiver who does not have the appropriate skill match. To help you keep track of this, the caregiver's name will turn yellow on the scheduling calendar if there is a skill mismatch. When you hover over the caregiver's name, a more complete rundown of the issue will be listed.

Please note that if a visit is late, the yellow text color will be overridden by the red late warning text color.

Tags

Tags are a special kind of skill. These tags are generally used so that caregivers can be searched for based on that attribute, but will not be used on a matching basis. (You'll want to request a tag specifically from your Ankota specialist if you want to add a "tag" form of a skill.)

For example, you might want to offer an overnight shift only to caregivers that are willing to work overnights. In that case, you could request a skill tag called "Overnights OK" and then assign it to caregivers who are willing to work overnights. When you perform a search using the Find Matching Caregivers feature, you can then choose to turn on and search using this "Overnights OK" tag when desired.

HR Requirements linked with Skills

Skills can be directly linked to HR requirements by request. The advantage of this is that as the HR requirement expires, the associated skill can be automatically unassigned from the caregiver. Assuming the client is also assigned this skill as a requirement, the caregiver losing this skills not only the standard Action Center notification of the expiring HR Requirement, but also turns the visit type text to a warning yellow color on the scheduling board. The text show the mismatch between the client's requirement for the skill and the caregiver lacking the skill. (Hover over red or yellow warning text for a description of the issue.)

Searching with Skills

Skills can be used to filter in two main locations: the Client and Caregiver Schedule Boards, and the Find Matching Caregivers function. 

When working on the main Schedule boards, you can open the filter at the top by clicking the arrow.

This will open the full range of filters. At the top are two skill filters, one for clients and one for caregivers. Click on the downward arrow and a list of skills will open. This is particularly useful for teams that work with tags, where a scheduler might only want to see Team 1 clients, for example. 

Similarly, when you are searching with Find Matching Caregivers, the clients' required skills will be automatically applied to the search. 

Settings

Typically, an Ankota specialist will set up skills for you. If you wish to add your own skills or adjust the settings (for example, adding an expiration date option), superusers can do this by going to Settings, then Org. Settings, then Skills. By clicking on the skills, their functionality can be adjusted. Unless you are clear on the options, we recommend you work with an Ankota specialist to adjust or add skills.