Duplicate Client Profiles - Management and Consolidation

Overview

The following article explains how to identify and consolidate duplicate client profiles in HMIS.

The first section, Identifying Duplicate Client Profiles, covers how to run a Duplicate Clients Report which aids in identifying duplicate profiles. The second section, Consolidating Duplicate Client Profiles, demonstrates how to determine the client's primary profile and communicate identified duplicates to your HMIS lead who can then merge the profiles.

Identifying Duplicate Client Profiles

Duplicate clients can be identified organically as you navigate the system or by running a Duplicate Clients Report.

Duplicate Clients Report

The Duplicate Clients Report helps identify duplicate client profiles in HMIS by providing a list of client records with matching PII. This report is found in the Report Library in HMIS under the Data Quality Reports dropdown.

Please follow these steps to run a Duplicate Clients Report for your agency:

Navigate to the Report Library

1. Log into HMIS.
2. Click the Menu icon (also referred to as the 'waffle' icon).
3. Select REPORTS.

Data Quality Reports

In the Report Library:

4. Expand the Data Quality Reports section.

5. Identify the report titled, [DQXX-110] Duplicate Clients.
6. Click RUN on the right of the report.

Report Parameters

Report Output Format:

• Web Page - populates within HMIS, cannot be exported
• Excel - row level report in Excel/CSV format

7. Select desired output format.
8. Click Submit.

Video Demonstration

Click the Play button to watch the video demonstration.

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Consolidating Duplicate Client Profiles

Determine the Primary Profile

Merging client profiles is a permanent action, before making any changes, carefully review the First and Last Name, Social Security Number, and Date of Birth of both profiles. If there are any discrepancies between these fields, further investigation with your HMIS Lead may be warranted.

For each set of duplicate profiles:

1. Identify which profile has the most accurate and complete information - this will be the Primary profile. The profile with majority of the following characteristics should be made the primary:
   • Photo (profiles with a photo will always be made primary).
   • Full, accurate First and Last Names with any additional nicknames logged in the Alias field.
   • Full, accurate Social Security Number.
   • Full, accurate Date of Birth.
   • Accurate Veteran status.
2. Once the Primary profile is identified, consolidate any remaining fields with the most up-to-date information. For example:
   • If the Primary profile had majority of the correct information but the duplicate profile reflected the correct Veteran status, you would update the Primary profile to reflect the accurate Veteran status.
3. After identifying and consolidating all information into the Primary profile, take note of both profile Unique Identifiers and submit a ticket to the help desk where your HMIS Lead can then merge the duplicate records.

Duplicate Clients Ticket

To resolve duplicate client profiles, you will submit a ticket to the help desk. To learn how to submit a ticket, please review the How to Submit a Ticket article.

1. Enter the email address associated with your HMIS account.
2. Select the appropriate CoC.
   • If you are unsure which CoC to select, please reach out to your DPAL for clarification.

3. Subject line: Duplicate Profiles
4. The Description box is the body of your email which should include the Primary profile UID and the duplicate profile UID.
   • If no further investigation is needed, you can simply provide both UIDs and indicate which profile should be left as the Primary.
     • For example: "[UID] and [UID] have been identified as duplicate profiles. [UID] is the Primary profile".
   • If each profile varies in accuracy and further investigation is needed, please profile both UIDs and  indicate which UID has the most accurate information for each differing field (example below) along with any relevant context.
     • Note: You are welcome to determine a Primary profile and update any fields if you definitively know the most accurate information but, if you are ever unsure, we are happy to investigate further to ensure they are in fact duplicates and all information is correct.
5. Click Submit to finalize the request.

Note: PII should never be included in a ticket, the description box or attachments.

Notes/Troubleshooting

• Personally Identifiable Information should NEVER be included in the description box or attachments when submitting a ticket.
• HMIS Lead may follow up requesting additional clarity on client information.
• If both profiles have overlapping program enrollments, HMIS Lead may follow up to clarify and consolidate enrollments prior to merging.

Related Articles

• How to Submit a Ticket
• [DQXX-110] Duplicate Clients

Still need help? Contact COHMIS Help Desk