Adding clients
Background[edit | edit source]
This article provides a quick guide to adding new clients into Kotahi.
As at January 2025, the process for adding new clients is dependent on the team/service.
Responsibility[edit | edit source]
There are currently 2 services utilising Kotahi:
Where a client does not already exist in Kotahi for a client with one of these services, the responsibility for setting them up is as follows:
| Service | Responsible |
|---|---|
| Whanau ora | Whanau ora administrator (JJ Havea) |
| Transition to adulthood | Admin team |
Adding a new client[edit | edit source]
Before adding a client, check that they do not already exist within Kotahi!
Use the client search box to search for their name or, ideally, the NHI number in case the client uses different or preferred names.
If they definitely do not already exist in Kotahi then choose 'add new client' from the menubar and follow the below steps.
NHI search[edit | edit source]
As a wellbeing service, all clients should be identified by their NHI number where available.
Even if you already know the NHI number,[1] the starting point should be to use the 'NHI Lookup' button at the top of the new page. Doing this will populate the new client record with the most recent information held by Te Whatu Ora.[2]
The NHI search links directly to live Te Whatu Ora systems and is designed to make it as easy as possible to find the right person.
If you don't already know the NHI, the NHI search requires the following information to be entered as a minimum:
- First name
- Surname
- Date of birth
- OR month and year of birth.[3]
The search will usually result in a range of options, and each of these are 'scored' to indicate which is the most likely match.
If you are unsure which one is correct, you can confirm further details by using the 'Review' button. This will show a new window containing the full record held by NHI, including:
- Gender
- Ethnicity
- Multiple names/preferred name
- Primary care enrolment.
If you have the NHI already, then the search will obviously only give you one result.
Once you find the right person, clicking 'Select client' will populate the Kotahi client record automatically.
Personal details[edit | edit source]
The Personal Details page will now hold the information from NHI. If you can't find the NHI, then consider the possibility that the client does not have one - in which case their information will need to be entered manually.
Review the supplied information and update anything necessary. You can also add a general note at the bottom of this page if needed.
Note that you will be notified if a client already exists with the NHI you are using - however, this does not happen until you've reached the very end of this process!
Whānau[edit | edit source]
The next page presents three options about adding client Whānau.
Whānau relationships are really important in Kotahi, and as an organisation we are striving to have better data around this. Even if the client is not in a service like Whanau ora, we should try to record their Whānau information where possible. This can be as simple as the name and relationship.[4] If you are setting a relationship then note that for simplicity we do not use gendered terms - for example 'Parent' rather than mother or father. 'Nibling' is used for a Nephew/Niece, and 'Pibling' is used for Uncle/Aunt. [5] Adding Whānau relationships is obviously required in the Whanau ora context.
Finally please note that our approach is for 'Whānau' to be self-identified and it can mean a range of different things to each individual.
Contact details[edit | edit source]
The address should already be populated if you successfully completed an NHI search. However, it is possible that the address held in NHI is not the most recent and our referral information is more accurate. In this case, simply overwrite the address with the correct one.
It is mandatory to record whether a person has a phone number, but 'No Phone Available' is a valid selection. Obviously we should try to add as much contact information as possible to help engagement.
There is a space to record the client's email address but this is not mandatory.
Employment details[edit | edit source]
This page is completely optional and can be safely skipped. However, feel free to record relevant information if it is available. This can be easily updated at a later time.
Service details[edit | edit source]
This page is important because it allocates a client to a particular team/service. As noted above, there are only a limited number of services available in Kotahi at this time but ultimately it will reflect all of K'aute's activity.
Only one service can be added to the client on this page.
It is also possible to choose 'Don't register client for service' here, and update it manually later.
Be aware that some services are configured to automatically assign tasks to staff.[6] By default any such tasks will be allocated to the person setting up the client. Since this is probably not what you want to do, you'll have to manually assign them to the right person before proceeding.
Assign users[edit | edit source]
This page assigns staff members to clients, to act as their 'case manager' or 'navigator'. In most cases this should be the lead person responsible for dealing with that client/Whānau. You can tick/untick any staff in this list, but be aware that the person completing client setup will also be ticked by default.
The practical outcome of being as 'assigned user' is that the client will appear in your client list, and tasks are assigned to that person. As with most things in Kotahi, any person can still view and interact with a clients record unless something is marked 'confidential'.
Finishing up[edit | edit source]
After clicking 'Finish' the client is created and we can add case notes or other activities against their record.
If you skipped any steps in the setup process, please go back and make sure of the following:
- The client has an NHI recorded, unless they have never had one
- There is current contact information
- Whānau have been set up where possible/appropriate
- Client has been added to at least one service
- A staff member has been added as an 'assigned user'.
References[edit | edit source]
- ↑ For example if it is provided as part of the referral, or it already exists in Aiga.
- ↑ Note that this might still be old information - however it is easy to update in Kotahi if our information is more recent. Also be aware that NHI lookup provides other information such as GP enrolment which we should make note of.
- ↑ The NHI search has the option to search by age range, but this is not working successfully as at January 2025.
- ↑ Other fields are shown if you click on 'Add Whānau as new client', but only name and relationship is required.
- ↑ These terms are actively used in Stats NZ datasets.
- ↑ For example, if a monthly assessment is required by the contract then these can be scheduled automatically on allocation.