AIS developed a turnkey solution, including tablet hardware, software and hosting services, to meet the growing challenges and demand for the Texas Department of Aging and Disability Services (DADS). This Software-as-a-Service solution (SaaS) offers the efficiency and automation needed by DADS workers while also meeting regulatory standards and satisfying business requirements.
Background
DADS performs operations and provides services that are essential in ensuring organizations provide facilities and accommodations for people with disabilities that meet the standards set by Federal and State legislation. At the time, investigations for the agency required a manual, time-consuming process. In addition to collecting investigative information with pen and paper, DADS field staff would travel to offices to print out complaint information and previous final reports.
Finally, after an investigation was completed, an investigator would transcribe the notes into a final report before submitting. While traditional laptops provided electronic data entry solutions, they are not lightweight or mobile enough to support an investigator walking through a facility while performing an investigation. This process was not only inefficient and frustrating, but also incurred unnecessary time and travel expenses on an already strained staff and state budget.
The Challenge
AIS began working with Texas DADS to develop a technology solution that would bring efficiency to their investigations process. It became clear that AIS would need to develop a mobile solution that provided an alternative to the back and forth travel and written transcriptions, while also providing a better system for managing the investigations process.
Solution
The solution developed by AIS contains two components. The first is the scheduling component used by schedulers to assign tasks to field staff. This fully-functional, accessible and web-based scheduling 
application provides multiple views for schedulers to assign tasks and manage investigators and reviewers in a more effective manner.
The second component is the tablet-based forms processing solution that field staff members utilize to review assignments, complaints, previous final reports, current state and federal handbooks, and complete the forms required to finish their assignments and submit them to their main office. The AIS solution delivers all the field staff functionality and business value without requiring investigators to visit a DADS office.
Building on AIS’ experience with mobile technology and custom application development, we are currently expanding the capabilities of this application and developing additional features to make it functional as a turnkey solution for both public and private organizations that require efficient and compliant mobile technology for field workers.
Business and Technical Achievements
As the agency looked for opportunities to improve the working conditions of its staff and provide better service to the citizens of the State of Texas, it became clear that the organization needed to achieve the following business goals:
- Improve staff efficiency
- Eliminate redundant work requirements
- Reduce travel expenses
- Provide better tracking and enhanced safety of field personnel
- Provide quality services in an era of increasing demand and decreasing funds
AIS delivered a solution with enhanced capabilities, including the following:
- Ability to tag and transmit photos
- Timely updates to survey and investigation reports
- Voice to text transcription
- Email, internet and intranet access anywhere
- Current handbook/forms integration
- GPS directions (route planning) and staff tracking
- Panic button (staff emergencies)
- Tracking of lost equipment
- Centralized tablet management to push tablet system updates without requiring the tablet to be brought into an office
