When searching for providers to deliver services, the most suitable provider may not always have availability. Where no other suitable provider is available, a client may be put on to a wait list for a provider.
CPM provides the ability for caseworkers to add a client to a wait list for a provider. A client can be wait listed to receive both non-placement services and placement services, and either for the provider, or for a specific provider offering.
When a client is added to the wait list, they are automatically assigned a position as per the number of existing clients on the wait list. For example, if there are already 10 clients (entries) on a wait list, the new client will be assigned a position of 11. A client's position can be moved up or down manually, based on the perceived priority of that client. A wait list entry can also be given an expiry date, to avoid out of date entries remaining on a list indefinitely.
A resource manager can search for entries in the wait lists. A number of search criteria can be specified:
Wait list entries can be reviewed on a periodic basis, to see if the client should remain on the wait list, or removed. This is done by recording a review date on the wait list entry. Alternatively, the review date can be configured to be a certain number of days before the wait list entry expires.
Once a provider has available resources to deliver a service, the first client on the wait list can be removed from the wait list. In the case of placement services, once a place becomes available the caseworker can then allocate the place to a client. Depending on the service period, either a reservation (if the service period is in the future) or a placement is created when the wait listed client is allocated a place. Once the client is allocated a place, the wait list entry is marked as 'Allocated' automatically.