Referral/Provider Agencies

Updated April 02, 2025 18:20

The labeling of this module and some of its components, as well as how the information entered into the module is used throughout AWARDS, varies based on how your AWARDS database is currently configured:

Referral Agencies - If your AWARDS database is configured to use the Medical > Support Services Contacts feature, and/or you are beginning to transition to the Providers feature by starting data entry work there, this module is labeled Referral Agencies. It is used to maintain a list of referring agencies for use throughout AWARDS; specifically, the agencies included and maintained within this module are those from which an agency selection will be made during the following processes:
- Working with referral/admission sources
- Working with records in the Services > Service Referrals and/or Discharge > Referrals Out features
Referral/Provider Agencies - If your AWARDS database is configured to use the Medical > Providers feature, this module is labeled Referral/Provider Agencies. It is used to maintain a list of referring and provider agencies for use throughout AWARDS; specifically, the agencies included and maintained within this module are those from which an agency selection will be made during the following processes:
- Working with referral/admission sources
- Working with records in the Services > Service Referrals and/or Discharge > Referrals Out features
- Working with records under Medical > Providers

This portion of the Resource Center uses the "Referral Agencies" labeling; however, differences in the functionality between the two versions of the module are noted, where applicable.

When working with this module please keep in mind that referral agency records are saved at the agency level, and are not program-specific.

Required Permissions

The Referral / Providers Agencies feature is available to users with the following permissions:

Referral Agencies Data Entry (optional - only required for data entry, not for reporting)

Merge Tool (optional - only required in order to merge agency and/or contact records)

Permissions are assigned using the Permissions Maintenance feature. If you do not have access to that feature and need a permission listed here, please contact your supervisor or your local Help Desk for assistance.

Working with the Referral Agencies List

To add to or make changes to the agencies list, complete the following steps from the AWARDS Home screen:

Click Administration from the left-hand menu, and then click Builders & Tools. The Builders & Tools fly-out menu is displayed.
Click Referral Agencies. The Referral Agencies index page is displayed.

When working on the index page, agency records are easily accessible using the following tools and navigation features:

"Show Records" display options - By default the index includes all agencies. To limit display to only those records that can be deleted, click the Available For Deletion radio button under "Show Records" in the left-hand menu. Agencies can only be deleted when there are no referral/admission records, client provider assignments (for agencies using the Providers feature), or service referrals associated with them, and when there are no referral contacts saved within the agency record.
Sorting options - By default records in the index are sorted alphabetically by agency name. Click a column header in the data table to sort the index by a different type of data. Click the heading again to reverse the sort.
Navigation options - 10 records are displayed on the page by default. To access records on subsequent pages of the index (when applicable), click the arrows in the bottom-right corner of the table. To display 25 or 50 records at a time, click the Show drop-down to the left of the record count, also in the bottom-right corner, and make a selection.

Once you select records on the index, a count of how many total records are selected is displayed in the action bar. Selections are maintained while moving from one page of the index to the next; meaning, you can select records on the first page (showing records 1-10 by default) and move to the next page (displaying records 11-20) without losing the selections made on the first page. Links for Show all selected records and Uncheck All are available beneath the index table for easy navigation.

Search and filtering options - A Search field is available on the action bar along with a corresponding Filter by drop-down list. To search the contents of the index (including those records not currently displayed on the page), enter a value in the Search field. The index is automatically updated as you type. To further narrow your search, use the Filter by selection to indicate whether the search should look at data in "All Columns" (the default) or a specific column.
Referral Agencies ReportBuilder access - Provides access to the ReportBuilder for this feature. For instructions see below.

At this time, complete one or more of the following tasks as needed:

Add a new agency - Click the add new icon from the action bar above the agency table. A new data entry page is displayed. Configure the fields and options on this page as necessary, and then click Save. The agency is saved and a confirmation page is displayed. Once an agency is saved in this way, a "Contacts" subsection becomes available in data entry mode on the confirmation page. This subsection can be shown/hidden for data entry as needed using the left-hand menu. Keep in mind that the "Contacts" section displays as a sub-index with its own action bar and Save button for data entry.

For more information on the agency fields and options in each data entry section, see below.

This index page lists records alphabetically by agency name. As a result, the newly added agency may not be visible when the index is displayed after your data entry. Click the arrows below the bottom-right corner of the table to navigate between pages.

Update an existing agency - Click the agency to be updated, or click the checkbox to the left of the agency and then click the edit icon from the action bar above the agency table. A data entry page is displayed. Make changes to the information on this page as necessary, and/or on the other available data entry sections, and then click Save. The agency is saved, and a confirmation page is displayed.

For more information on the agency fields and options in each data entry section, see below.

IMPORTANT! Changes made to agency information and/or contacts will affect all existing client referrals/admission records associated with that agency.

View or print an existing agency - Click the checkbox to the left of the agency to be viewed or printed, and then click the view icon from the action bar above the agency table. A read-only version of the record is displayed and can be printed as needed using your browser's print option.
Delete an existing agency - Click the checkbox(es) to the left of the agenc(ies) to be deleted, and then click the delete icon from the action bar above the agency table. A confirmation message is displayed. Click OK to proceed with the deletion. The selected agenc(ies) are deleted and the updated Index is displayed.

IMPORTANT! Agencies that have contacts information saved, or that have associated referrals/admissions (under Intake/Admission), service referrals (under Services > Service Referrals), or assignments to clients as a provider (under Medical > Providers when that feature is in use) cannot be deleted and will not have the delete option available for them. Records that are available for deletion can be viewed using the Available for Deletion filter on the menu bar to the left of the agency table.

When an agency is not available for deletion but you no longer want it to be available for use, consider changing the agency's Status to "Inactive" instead; doing so will hide the agency from view during data entry, but will still allow the agency to appear on reports when it was previously specified in a client's records.

Merge duplicate agencies - To do so, click the checkboxes to the left of the agencies to be merged/combined, and then click the Merge icon from the action bar above the agencies table. The Merge Records page is displayed. Click the Keep radio button to the left of the record to be kept (or retained), and then click Save. A confirmation message is displayed. Click OK to proceed with the merge. The selected agencies are merged and the updated index is displayed, with the kept record selected.

WARNING! Merging records CANNOT be undone.

When merging, keep in mind the following:

The "kept" record inherits any Contacts sub-records that belonged to the records being merged into it.
For agencies set up to be used as a provider agency, if a merged agency (and contact) was previously saved for a client provider or used in a provider appointment or encounter, the agency on that record is automatically updated and replaced with the "kept" agency name and information. Updates are also reflected on the Providers Directory index.
For agencies set up to be used as an outgoing service referral agency, if a merged agency (and contact) was previously saved in a service referral, the agency on that record is automatically updated and replaced with the "kept" agency name and information.

For agencies set up to be used as an intake referral source, if a merged agency (and contact) was previously saved in an intake referral, the agency on that record is automatically updated and replaced with the "kept" agency name and information.

The merge tool is also available on the Contacts sub-index, allowing you to further manage duplicates.

Return to the Referral Agencies index - To do so, click the To Index icon from the action bar while working in a record to return to the index page. You can also return to the index page at any time by clicking Referral Agencies from the breadcrumbs trail below the AWARDS navigation bar.

The process of working with the agencies list is now complete.

Referral Agency Fields / Options

Agency Information

Address, Address 2, City, State, Zip

In the Address, Address 2, City, and Zip fields, type or make changes to the agency's address. Also click the State drop-down arrow and select the state in which the agency is located.

IMPORTANT! If two agencies are entered with the same name, each of those agencies must have unique address information.

Agency Name

In this field, type or make changes to the agency name. The value entered here will be the main identifier for the record on the referral agencies index.

IMPORTANT! If two agencies are entered with the same name, each of those agencies must have unique address information.

Agency Placement

Click the checkbox that corresponds to the location(s) where this agency should be placed in AWARDS, as described below. At least one selection must be made.

Admission Referral Source? - If the agency being worked with (and its corresponding contacts) should be included in the Referring Agency selection list during referral/admission data entry in the Intake/Admission module, click this toggle to set it to "Yes."
Outgoing Service Referral? - If the agency being worked with (and its corresponding contacts) should be included in the Referred To selection list during service referral data entry in the Services - Individual module's Service Referrals feature, click this toggle to set it to "Yes."
Provider Agency? - If the agency being worked with (and some of its corresponding contacts) should be included in the Practice/Agency search/selection list during provider data entry in the Medical module Providers feature, click this toggle to set it to "Yes."

The Provider Agency? option is only available in the Referral/Provider Agencies version of this module.

Agency Type

Click this drop-down arrow and select the type of agency being worked with.

The contents of this selection list are configurable. To request a change, please contact the Help Desk for assistance.

Notes

In this text box, type or make changes to any notes regarding the agency.

OASAS Type

Click this drop-down arrow and select the type of agency being worked with. This option is required in databases that have OASAS programs.

This option will not affect non-OASAS programs using this functionality.

Phone

In this field, type or make changes to the agency's phone number.

Status

Click this drop-down arrow and select one of the following:

Active - When selected the agency (and its corresponding contacts) will be listed as a referral agency during the referral/admission and/or service referral data entry processes, based on the Admission Referral Source? and Outgoing Service Referral? selections, respectively. Likewise, the agency will be listed as a provider agency during the provider assignment data entry process, based on the Provider Agency? selection.
Inactive - When selected the agency (and its corresponding contacts) will be hidden from view during the referral/admission, service referral, and/or provider assignment data entry processes, but will continue to be shown in related reports when the agency was previously specified in a client's records.

These options only impact provider assignment selection lists when the Referral/Provider Agencies version of this module is in use.

Contacts

To add address information that differs from the Referral Agency, or to designate a Specialty or an NPI number, you must use the Providers Directory feature, if available.

Email

In this field, type or make changes to the contact's email address.

Fax

In this field, type or make changes to the contact's fax number.

First Name, Last Name

In these fields, type or make changes to the contact's name. The value entered here will be the main identifier for the record on the contacts index.

Notes

In this text box, type or make changes to any notes regarding the contact.

Phone

In this field, type or make changes to the contact's phone number.

Provider

This option is only available in the Referral/Provider Agencies version of this module when the associated agency has been saved as a "Provider Agency."

If the contact being worked with is a provider who should be included in the Provider search/selection list during Providers data entry, click this toggle to set it to "Yes."

Once this option has been set to "Yes." the provider is added to the Providers Directory and it will not be removed if this option is set back to "No" in the future. If it were ever necessary to remove the provider from the Providers Directory, you would need to do so manually through the directory.

Providers, once saved, are also available in the Providers Directory module. Additional contact details such as NPI, Specialty, and provider-specific address information can be added using that module.

Title

In this field, type or make changes to the contact's title.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can providers be assigned to more than one agency/practice?

Yes, providers can be assigned to none, one, or multiple agencies. To do so, update the provider record using the Providers Directory, and open the Agencies sub-index.

What do I do if an agency/practice has more than one address/location?

The agency should be entered multiple times using the Referral/Provider Agencies module, each with a unique address.

Why can't I add an address, NPI, license number, or specialty for a contact using the Referral/Provider Agencies module?

Address, NPIs, license numbers, and specialty selections can only be added to provider records through the Providers Directory or when adding a new provider contact while assigning a medical provider to a client.

If the Provider checkbox is checked on the contact record under Referral/Provider Agencies, it will also display within the Providers Directory, and more detail can be added within that module, which is specific to provider contacts.

Related Reports

Referral / Provider Agencies ReportBuilder

To generate and save a Referral / Provider Agencies ReportBuilder report that can be re-run in the future, to generate a single-use report, or to use and/or update an existing report format to generate a report, complete the following steps:

Click Administration from the left-hand menu, and then click Builders & Tools. The Builders & Tools fly-out menu is displayed.
Click Referral Agencies. The Referral Agencies index page is displayed.
Click the Referral Agencies ReportBuilder link on the left-hand menu. The Referral Agencies ReportBuilder Settings page is displayed.

Because referral agency records can contain multiple contacts, there is flexibility in how many times a given referral agency record is displayed on the report. Specifically, click one of the Display One Row Per radio buttons to indicate whether there should be a separate row for each agency or contact.

Agency - When this option is selected, each referral agency is listed in the report only once, regardless of the number of contacts it contains.
Contact - When this option is selected, each referral agency is listed once for every contact recorded in the agency record. If an agency has no contacts, that agency does not display on the report. If an agency has multiple contacts, each contact displays on his/her own report row.

Leave the Provide ExportBuilder Options checkbox unchecked. It is NOT relevant to report generation.

This option is used to provide access to an ExportBuilder corresponding to the ReportBuilder with which you are working. AWARDS ExportBuilders - which are designed for use by individuals who are familiar with export files and formats, their design, and setup - harness the power of ReportBuilder functionality and take it a step further to meet a variety of outside reporting needs. With ExportBuilders, users can create customized data reports as they would with the ReportBuilder itself, and from those reports generate export files of a number of different types - CSV, TXT, XLS, or XML. Exported files can be saved to your computer, then uploaded into other data collection systems and/or worked with in other applications as needed. Additionally, as can be done with ReportBuilders, ExportBuilder formats can be saved and shared for future use.

The instructions provided here detail use of the Referral Agencies ReportBuilder only, not the corresponding ExportBuilder. For more information on using ExportBuilders, please click here.

If you would like the report (both its content and an Excel file version) to be sent to your AWARDS Messages module upon its completion, click the Send in AWARDS Message checkbox. When this option is selected, you need not wait for the report to generate, and can navigate away from the ReportBuilder after finishing the configuration process.

When using this option the report will remain in your messages for one month, after which time it will be deleted. (The exact date of deletion will be displayed in red at the top of the report message for your reference.) If you know you will need the report content after that time, be sure to download the Excel file (Excel File.zip) or HTML content (Report Content.html) attached to the report message. If you don't download one of these attachments before the message is deleted, you will need to manually re-generate the report if you need access to it in the future.

Use the Select a saved report format drop-down options at the bottom of the page to specify whether you will be generating the report from scratch or using a previously saved format. Available choices are to:

Use a previously saved report format - To generate the report using a previously created and saved format, select that format from this drop-down. When using this method, you can immediately generate the report without changing any settings. Alternately, you can first review and modify the settings of the format by checking off the available "Provide option to modify settings of saved report format" checkbox.
Start from scratch, without using a previously saved report format - To create your own report format for single-time use or for saving and later re-use, leave the saved report format drop-down blank.

If you (or another user) have previously saved a default report format for this ReportBuilder and program, that format is pre-selected here. Make changes to the selection as needed, or leave it at its default value.

Click CONTINUE.

If you are using an existing report format and have NOT chosen to view/modify the settings of that format, you are now taken directly to the report page. Continue with step 15.

If you chose to send the report to yourself via the Messages module (in step 6), a notice is first displayed on the page to let you know that report generation is in process and that the report will be sent to your Messages module upon completion. You can then navigate away from the page, or wait for the report to complete and then proceed with step 15.

In all other instances, the Options page is displayed. Continue with step 9.

The Options page contains of referral agency data variables, and - depending on the selection made in step 4 - may also display variables for referral contacts.

A section for "Date Parts" - common to all ReportBuilders that have date variables available for selection - is also included on this page. It is intended to allow for greater flexibility of reporting around dates; for example, giving you the option to report out on a month as either a number (1) or a written month (January).

Click the checkbox next to each variable to be included in the report, and/or use the available Check All options as needed.

Click CONTINUE. The Report Options - Continued page is displayed.
Configure or make changes to the options in the "Filter Options" portion of the page as necessary to adjust the scope of the report contents. Set the "Show Individual Detail" and/or "Summary Tables" options to adjust the way in which the contents are displayed.

Individual detail report options and/or summary table selections must be set before the report can be generated. For more information on using the various report options, click here.

To save the report settings so that this report can easily be re-run in the future, click SAVE REPORT FORMAT. The Save Report Format dialog box is displayed.

If it is not necessary to save the report format and you wish only to view the report contents, please skip to step 13.

Configure the fields and options on this dialog box to indicate the specifics of how the format should be saved.

For more information on using the save report format options, please click here.

Click DISPLAY REPORT. The report is generated and displayed on the Referral Agencies ReportBuilder page.

At this time individual detail and/or summary table content can be hidden or sorted as needed. The report can also be printed or exported to Microsoft Excel. For more information on working with ReportBuilder report contents, click here.

The process of generating a Referral Agencies ReportBuilder report is now complete.

Other Helpful Resources

Training Films & Demonstrations

Creating a Provider Agency (6 min)

Creating a Provider Contact Within an Agency (8 min)

Creating a Providers Directory Record (9 min)