OpenFIT Terminology

Case

This is the term OpenFIT uses for a treatment episode. A Case is the basic unit of data in OpenFIT. A Case is a record of an episode of therapy or care that a client receives.

Client

A Client in OpenFIT is a person who receives therapy or care as part of a service provided to an individual, couple, family, or group. Therefore, one or more clients can be associated with a Case.

• Cases and Clients: A new client or an existing client can be associated with a case. (Note: an existing client is a client who already exists in OpenFIT – usually because they have been in treatment with your organization previously.)
• A client can receive an episode of therapy either as an individual or as part of a couple, a family, or a group therapy program. Therefore, one or more clients can be associated with a case.
• Creating a case and adding one or more clients is covered in the next section, including an explanation of the required fields.

Session

A Session in OpenFIT is a record of therapy or care delivered to a client generally as a service appointment on a specific day and at a specific time.

Survey

Surveys are feedback or assessment measures that a client completes in a session or between sessions. The principal surveys used in OpenFIT are the Outcome Rating Scales (ORS) and the Session Rating Scale (SRS). They can be completed by clients on a device such as a smartphone, tablet, or laptop depending on how your organization has arranged for feedback surveys to be made available. Paper-based surveys can be used in circumstances where devices are not available. Surveys can only be completed when a case, client, and session are created.

Note on young children: OpenFIT does not have access to the YCORS. If a client is under six years old, the YCORS is not a statistically validated tool for them. A Collateral Rater’s feedback can then be utilized to inform care for that age group. The printable paper version of the YCORS may still be used for engagement purposes with young children.

Collateral Rater

A Collateral Rater is an individual linked to a Case in OpenFIT who can give feedback on the client’s progress in treatment. They can be added to a case at the time it is created in OpenFIT or later. Examples include a parent/caregiver, probation officer, or teacher.

Case Number

OpenFIT will automatically create a random unique Case Number if the field is left blank, or agencies can choose how to define this number. We recommend using the OpenFIT system-provided (autogenerated) number unless there is an equivalent unique number from your EHR. Please confirm the policy with your OpenFIT Administrator  / Implementor.

Client Number

Each client in OpenFIT should have a unique Client Number. We recommend using the client record number from your EHR in OpenFIT. OpenFIT will automatically create a random unique Client Number if the field is left blank.

Tag

A tag is a short description label that can be added to a Case or Client. An OpenFIT Administrator creates a list of Tags that can be used in OpenFIT. These tags are a simple way to add more details to a Case or Client.

• Tags can be applied to a client or a case (episode).
• There is a specific type of tag that can be applied to a record by an OpenFIT Administrator (called a Department tag).

Closed Cases

Cases are closed by your agency, not OpenFIT. There are two choices when closing a client: 

Closed planned
Closed planned cases are closed by mutual agreement between the practitioner/team and the client(s).
 

Closed unplanned.
Closed unplanned cases are when the client(s) stops attending treatment.

Note: The way a case is closed in OpenFIT impacts the dropout rate. Cases are closed by you or your agency, not by OpenFIT staff.

Dropout Rate

This statistic helps determine overall client outcomes. OpenFIT displays this rate as part of the Statistics view, but it is only accurate if your agency has developed an effective process for closing cases.

The ICCE defines the dropout statistic as follows:

If the treatment is terminated unilaterally by the client, and outcomes fall outside the green zone (without effect), it is classified as a dropout case. The percentage of clients who terminate unilaterally without effect should be reported as the dropout rate.