If the service is provided by an external provider, a suitable service provider must be found in order to successfully deliver the service to the client. A service provider must be found for both services and referrals. When finding a service provider, it is important that the case worker considers fully the client's circumstances. In addition to cost considerations, it is equally important that services are readily available and easily accessible to clients, that they are of good quality, and that they are a good match to the client's needs.
Referral and service delivery processing allows case workers to take all these factors into account by providing functionality that helps them to find the best service provider to meet the needs of the client and ultimately assist them in achieving positive outcomes by achieving their goals.
This section describes the process of finding a suitable provider when the providers are registered on the system. The process includes locating the nearest service provider, validating provider credentials, and estimating the cost of a provider.