Business Process Redesign Update

What's happenin'

As we begin exciting changes by implementing BPR in the Ketchikan and Juneau offices, we wanted to remind staff of some changes that will be heading your way based upon the BPR Recommendations made by the Statewide Planning Team!

Previously known as “FCR”, the Statewide Planning team passionately discussed, redefined, and renamed as One and Done.

"One and Done" approach to all eligibility actions and requires the four following steps:
1. Reference a verification matrix to request only required verifications.
2. Run electronic interfaces and cross-matches (if verification is not available)
3. Check the case file OR eligibility system to determine if element was already verified; (if verification not available)
4. Make collateral calls and 3-way calls with the customer on the phone. Also ask the customer to take a picture of verification on hand and email it to a worker.

The One and Done approach requires us to Pend a case action ONLY if all efforts (1-4) fail. The concept is to take the case as far as possible when unable to achieve a determination. By spending a little more time now to get the necessary information to complete the case, saves time in the future. The case is "fresh", there will be fewer errors, fewer "priority" requests will occur, less duplicate information will be submitted, and the agency will eliminate unnecessary client contact.

The Flexible appointment notice makes good sense by providing customers the opportunity to call in advance of the appointment to receive an interview. This increases the chances that DPA will work the case timely by “bringing work in” sooner in the process.

Triaging the work will decrease inefficiencies. Clients contact the agency face-to-face, by mail, and by phone for various reasons. (Application, recertification, reports of change, providing verification, questions, etc.) Triaging the work in a methodical way allows work to be routed in the correct manner (priorities are clearly defined), customers get handled faster by matching a worker’s skill-set with what the customer needs, and staff can focus on a limited program area and thus get into a groove when working.

Consistency tools are developed to standardize and effectively triage eligibility work. Eliminate variance in the processes for eligibility determinations will allow multiple staff to process a case without reworking it. The tools will include: Procedural Handbook, Verification Matrix, Documentation Template, and Changes Template.

PathOs is a real time data management tool that allows staff to pull the work and thus eliminating pushing assignments to staff. This assigns one case at a time without interruptions, eliminates the need for production logs, manages the triage of work by pathways, allows managers to have real time data to shift resources when necessary to prevent backlog from developing.

Cross training staff- We heard you! We are actively scheduling training in various offices and balancing this with reducing our backlog prior to implementing BPR.

What you can do to help yourselves:

We’ve been asked “What can we be doing to prepare for implementing BPR?” One important item to remember is to pend less often starting right now. Take the time now to complete an interview or a case action instead of putting the action off until later. By doing this now, you will be in better shape as your office gets closer to implementation date.

Also, whenever possible, we must complete case actions same day rather than contributing to our backlog through scheduling. Get creative on how to pull in the interview schedules and how to assist customers in real time.

As local leadership attend BPR Planning sessions, they will learn the strategies to prepare for implementation of BPR, and the action steps for eliminating specific categories of “backlog” to help make implementation successful.

Thank you for embracing the exciting changes taking place within our Division!

Tammie and Aimee