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Data Quality: What is Data Completeness and How Is It Measured?
Definition & Importance
Data Completeness is the percentage of data fields for any given client, project enrollment, provider, organization, or system that have been filled in or answered with appropriate information. The definition used in the CoC Data Quality Brief is: “The degree to which all required data is known and documented.”
- Client Record - the completeness of a person’s HMIS record for a given project enrollment, as measured by completed response categories for Universal, Alaska Specific and Program-Specific Data Elements.
- Bed Utilization - the completeness of HMIS participation by bed units, with the total number of beds recorded or set up within HMIS divided by the total number of homeless beds within the CoC’s geographic coverage area.
- Organization Coverage - the completeness of HMIS participation by organization or homeless services provider, with the number of HMIS participating organizations divided by the total number of homeless services providers in the CoC’s geographic area, including those funded by the CoC and ESG program, federal partner agencies, foundations, and private organizations.
Data completeness is important because unless data is known and entered into HMIS, it is impossible to complete system evaluation and strategic planning to improve client services and end homelessness. To this end, HUD has minimum requirements for data completeness to ensure required federal reports, which provide system-wide analysis, are accurate and informative.
Reporting/Evaluation
AKHMIS data completeness is regularly evaluated on the prior 12 months to ensure organizations/providers are completing client records to the best of their ability, including updating records and entering in additional information that is gained as client interactions take place.
Standards
The AK CoCs encourage all AKHMIS-participating organizations and providers to aspire to 100% collection of all data elements (Universal, Alaskan, and Program Specific), but recognize that 100% data completeness may not be realistic or possible in all cases. The AK CoCs have created data completeness minimum requirements by project type for the prior 12 months, to accommodate all situations and ensure all HUD requirements are met, provided in the table below:
| HMIS Project Type |
Completeness Standard (% of Required Data Entered in AKHMIS) |
| Coordinated Entry |
95% of required data elements (only applies after client reaches a specific point in the Coordinated Entry process) |
| Emergency Shelter – Entry/Exit or Night by Night |
95% of required data elements, 25% of required destination data |
| Homelessness Prevention |
95% of required data elements |
| Permanent Supportive Housing – Housing with or without services |
98% of required data elements |
| Rapid Re-housing – Housing with or without services |
98% of required data elements |
| Street Outreach (Clients with a Date of Engagement only) |
90% of required data elements (only applies after client has a Date of Engagement) |
| Supportive Services Only (Excludes Coordinated Entry) |
95% of required data elements |
| Transitional Housing |
95% of required data elements |