A Cluster is a HIFIS 4 term that can be defined as a sub-grouping within the HIFIS 4 database.

Each Cluster is a group of Service Providers with a shared pool of Clients.

Each Cluster contains one or more Service Providers. This Cluster of Service Providers has a shared pool of Clients.  Service Providers belonging to this Cluster can see and interact with Clients in this shared pool.

However, Service Providers belonging to a Cluster are not even aware of the existence of Clients in other Clusters.  That also means that Service Providers within a Cluster cannot detect the activities of Service Providers within other Clusters. There is no crossover between Clusters.

In general, the state of Clustering within a HIFIS 4 installation can be described in one of three ways:

Clustering

  • A fully integrated system comprises of only one Cluster.
  • A partially integrated system comprises of at least two Clusters, and at least one of those Clusters contains at least two Service Providers.
  • A fully isolated system comprises of multiple Clusters, each containing only one Service Provider.