Creating a Program in the EMR
Overview
Programs control which staff members can see which clients. By assigning Providers and clients to Programs, Org Admins can ensure that staff only have visibility into the clients relevant to their role. Providers and clients can be assigned to a Program when their profiles are created or from their profile page at any time.
This article is for you if:
- You're a new Org Admin setting up your EMR for the first time
- You need to create a new Program to correctly assign staff and clients
- You need to manage visibility between staff and clients
- You're onboarding a new site or service line and need it reflected in the EMR
Creating a Program
Starting point: You’re logged into the EMR as an Org Admin.
- In the left-hand navigation, click Programs.
- On the Programs page, click the Add New Program button.
- Fill out the program details. Required fields must be completed before saving — optional fields can be filled in later.
- Click Confirm to save the program.
The program will now appear in the EMR and is ready for staff and client assignment.
Fields you'll complete in this form:
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Program Name | A clear name your team will recognize (e.g., "Parents in Recovery") |
| Program Type | The program model that best fits your services (e.g., Harm Reduction, Abstinence, Housing First) |
| Program Populations | Who the program serves (e.g., Male, Female, LGBTQIA2S+, Justice Involved, Youth) |
| Pay Structure | Select from the dropdown. Defaults to "Standard" |
| Client Capacity | The maximum number of clients the program can serve at once |
| Provider Capacity | The maximum number of providers that can be assigned to this program |
| Provider Supply Type | How staffing works: Internal (your staff), External (contract staff), or Hybrid |
| Provider Hours per Week | The intended weekly provider hours for this program |
| Program Referral Type | The most accurate referral source (e.g., Community Organization) |
| Zip Code | The zip code for the program's service location |
| Onboarding Date | The start date for the program |
Assigning to a Program
Once a program is created, Providers and clients can be assigned to it. Providers and clients can belong to more than one program.
When creating a new profile: Program assignment is available during the initial setup of a Provider or client profile.
To update program assignments on an existing profile:
- Navigate to the Provider's or client's profile.
- Select the General Info tab and scroll down to the Programs section.
- Click Add to assign the user to an additional program.
- Click Edit to update the user's enrollment status (e.g., moving from Active to Inactive).
Troubleshooting
I selected the wrong Program Type, Model, or Population
Program details can be updated at any time. To make corrections:
- Open the program and click Edit.
- Update the relevant fields and click Save.
I'm not sure how many programs to create
As a general rule, create a separate program any time you need a distinct visibility boundary between staff and clients. If two groups of staff should not have access to each other's client information, they should be in separate programs. If staff can share visibility, they can belong to the same program.