Name matching

Some quick tips:

  • Spelling will impact the ability to search for a match
  • You can opt to ignore names - read our user guide for how
  • Name matching doesn’t happen on single names
  • The feature assesses the content of case management notes as well as reports
  • Typing a name as part of a sentence or paragraph will give better results

When a name with two words or more is used in an open text box in a report or report comments our system has the ability to identify this. When names are detected they can be found at the bottom of the summary panel within a blue badge.

The number next to the name is the total number of reports where the name is mentioned. For example, if there is a number ‘1’ next to the name then this signifies that this name is mentioned in one report, which is the one you currently have open. When there is a number next to the name which is greater than ‘1’, that means that the name is also mentioned in other reports.

When you click on a name, a pop-up window will open, with a list of all the reports where the name has been mentioned. The list will show the report ID number, report status, report question where the name has appeared, and the date the report was made for each matched report. You can click on any report in the list to go to it. Clicking your browser's back button will take you back to the previous report.

If a report is flagged as linked to other reports but you know that they don’t relate to each other for whatever reason, you can click the “Ignore this name” button above the list of linked reports. A confirmation box will appear where you can take multiple actions;

  1. Clicking the “ignore [name]” button will unlink the current open report from any other reports with the same name mentioned in them. If you want to undo this then you can go to the ‘Activity’ tab in the report and select ‘all’ and then click “Undo”.

  2. Clicking the checkbox to “Ignore this name in all existing and future reports” will stop the detection or linking of the selected name in any past, current, or future reports. This is ideal, for example, if it is a building name (named after a person) and keeps linking reports. Then you can click “Ignore this name”. In order to undo this action, you will need to go to the ‘Admin’ tab on the left-hand menu and navigate to the “Name matching” tab. Here you can click on the name and then click "Restore".

  3. Leave additional comments to contextualise why a name has been ignored. Leaving notes here is good practice for maintaining a robust and clear audit trail for future users.

This feature uses Amazon Comprehend, while we continue to try to improve its accuracy there may be times when the software doesn’t detect matches.

First names alone won’t be detected by the feature. This is because first names can also be common words. As an example, the feature has no way to distinguish “will '' from “Will” therefore it would potentially return every single usage of the word “will” which would overwhelm your results.

Incorrect spelling will impact the accuracy of the feature. If you notice a spelling error you can use redaction controls to correct the error.

Culture Shift cannot guarantee that where names are given in the reports or comment they will always be identified. If reports are manually identified to have common themes or names our report linking feature can also be used to link reports together.