Partner

Physicians for Human Rights Boosts Asylum Program With FormAssembly Forms

Philip Hadley

Digital Communications Manager

Case Study Snapshot

Physicians for Human Rights worked with FormAssembly partner North Peak to streamline processes related to their Asylum Program using online FormAssembly forms integrated with Salesforce.

About Physicians for Human Rights

Founded in 1986 to leverage the expertise of scientists and physicians in unearthing human rights atrocities
Serves as an advocate for persecuted health workers and aims to hold those who violate human rights accountable
Research focuses on the physical and psychological impact of human rights abuses and the effects of unnecessary or excessive force

The numbers

1100

number of pro bono volunteers in PHR’s network

10 in 30 min

the number of cases that can be handled using FormAssembly

30 min

previous turnaround time for just 1 case form

The Need

Antiquated PDF Processes

There was a lot of back and forth to get required responses, and it had to be manually entered into the database. All of the PDFs have now been replaced with FormAssembly forms, which are automated through Salesforce,” Pickett shared.

Physicians for Human Rights runs an Asylum Program that, according to their website, “provides direct service to asylum seekers, advocates for improved conditions in U.S. immigration detention centers, and documents human rights abuses that immigrants suffer in their home countries and in U.S. care.”

PHR makes use of a detailed application and case management process for the Asylum Program. In the past, applications and forms were collected through PDF documents, which then had to be converted through manual data entry.

PHR’s previous data collection system prevented staff from regularly engaging in big-picture projects that were the foundation and heartbeat of their organization.

“Asylum staff would have to stay long hours each night to plan trainings and oversee other projects. There was minimal ongoing research and advocacy.,” Habbach said.

Having an extra 2-4 hours per day now allows staff to focus on objectives outside of case management so that they are better equipped to tackle systemic social justice issues taking place around the world.

The Solution

More Efficient Results and Analysis

We’re confirming that these outcomes are making a difference. It’s validating the weight of these forensic evaluations and how they impact asylum seekers,” Habbach said.

One of the primary outcomes of the switch to FormAssembly has been that staff can better and more efficiently process the information they collect through Asylum Program forms such as the Asylum Network application form, Case Management forms, and Forensic Evaluation Request form. Speaking about the previous system, Pickett said, “The database wasn’t well-suited for tracking the information the team was seeking. The result was that it hindered an ability to understand the information you were capturing.”

Now, the Physicians for Human Rights team saves hours on data entry with no exportation required. They can better analyze data, track outcomes, and share important results with stakeholders. Without any back-and-forth from emails and PDF documents, the staff can also guarantee that they receive the information they need with one swift attempt.

Use Cases

Asylum Network Application

The Asylum Network application allows health professional volunteers to easily apply to the network.

Health professionals are some of the primary respondents for PHR’s web forms and assist PHR in providing forensic evaluations for asylum seekers. To apply as a member of the Asylum Program, health professionals must submit applications that allow the organization to review their individual backgrounds, qualifications, and service offerings. A simplified web form ensures that Physicians for Human Rights receives all the information they need from respondents in one easy process.

Case Management Forms

The Prefill Connector provides a way to seamlessly transfer Salesforce data to case management forms.

PHR also implements FormAssembly to track and update case and network management requests. Information on these requests is pre-populated using the Prefill Connector. These forms also display different sets of messages if a particular case is already closed or can’t be found. By integrating with FormAssembly, North Peak helped PHR decrease the amount of time they had to invest in case management, thus allowing staff to focus on other big-picture needs and concerns.

Forensic Evaluation Request Forms

The forensic evaluation request form allows attorneys to request evaluations on behalf of their clients.

PHR uses FormAssembly for a forensic evaluation request form that is used by attorneys to request evaluations for their clients.

“This is our most important form as this is what is used to generate all our cases,” said Hajar Habbach, Program Associate at Physicians for Human Rights “We get attorney info and client info from the forms and utilize that info when we conduct outreach to our network of doctors.”

What’s Next?

Looking to the future, PHR is using their forensic evaluation request forms to work with attorneys to provide forensic services to families that were separated as a result of the administration’s family separation policy. Because the forms fields can be easily adapted, they are able to tailor their work to current policy/humanitarian crises.

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