It is no secret that the social care sector in the UK is under serious pressure. Costs are rising faster than contributions from local authorities and the NHS, thus resulting in operating margins being squeezed. An ageing population is causing increased demand, yet despite the increase in unemployment caused by the pandemic there are still significant care staffing vacancies. These factors, coupled with an increase in expectations from residents and their families, have put providers in the middle of a perfect storm.
Firstly, what do we mean by ‘Tech Enabled Care’? Many definitions exist, but the one which describes it in its simplest terms is:
“where the quality of cost-effective care and support to improve outcomes for individuals in home or community settings is enhanced through the application of technology as an integral part of the care and support process.” [South Ayrshire Council]
In other words – technology is a key enabler to improve outcomes for all users. Technology can come in many forms, and much research is taking place across the world to determine what type of technology could be applied to a care setting, and its effectiveness.
In a previous blog we wrote about ‘Pepper’ the robot, which is part of the International Caresses (Culture-Aware Robots and Environmental Sensor Systems for Elderly Support) project. This multidisciplinary study is taking place with care home residents across the UK and Japan and aims to design, develop and evaluate culturally competent robots that can assist older people according to the culture of the individual they are supporting. Each resident was given the robot for up to 18 hours over two weeks, and researchers reported a ‘significant improvement’ in their mental health and a slight improvement in loneliness. The Parliamentary Office of Science & Technology wrote in December 2018 that, “Robotics may free up time for caregivers enabling them to focus on delivering a better service for care recipients.” In this example of tech enabled care Artificial Intelligence (Ai) would be used to replace some of the care staff role, leaving them free to manage more complex tasks, clearly an economic benefit.
Although the use of robots in care homes is some years away from being an everyday occurrence, there are already developments in care technology which bring clear efficiencies and thus economic benefits. Electronic Care Planning and Medication Administration Records (eMAR) software has been available for some years and can not only reduce errors but also improve efficiency both for care staff and CQC inspectors, who do not have to spend many hours completing or looking through paper forms. Care staff can therefore spend more time with residents and, with regard to inspections, the process will be far more straightforward if everything is available for Inspectors to see online. The indications are that this is CQC’s direction of travel, as it stated recently that its inspectors have been “spending more time on virtual activity and less time on physical site visits. Our transitional regulatory approach may mean that we will request more information from providers in a digital format. This includes inspectors asking for access to digital care records when not on site.” In this instance, using tech enabled care will not only become more economically viable but absolutely necessary.
As a disruptor entering the market and taking tech enabled care to the next level, PredicAire is the first holistic care management system powered by Ai. It’s unique ‘virtual nurse’ FLO will provide diagnostic data to the care staff, which will enable them to predict and prevent unnecessary outcomes for residents. In doing so it also prevents undesired outcomes for the care provider, such as possible trips to hospital and/or further deterioration in the health of the resident. The potential of FLO to improve outcomes for residents and therefore efficiency in the running of the home are clear.
A resident’s family and friends are a key part of their wellbeing, and so PredicAire also has a ‘family’ portal which will enable messaging, e-approval of care plans, and sharing of photographs and information. In this way a closer and more immediate relationship can develop between the resident’s family and care staff, so that concerns can be shared quickly and communication can flow freely. This will not only help to predict and prevent poor outcomes, but will also build a positive relationship between the care facility and family.
Although not directly connected to care delivery, a number of other features of the PredicAire system make it economically viable. The maintenance feature for example helps the home to keep on track with planned work, and can also be used to alert the maintenance team to a potential issue before it becomes a problem which affects the residents, such as a faulty radiator. The economic benefits of such a system, which will prevent call-out fees, are obvious.
When these factors are combined, it is clear that tech enabled care can and will become economically viable in the near future.
PredicAire is leading the way, and if you would like to join us in our journey contact us now to book a demo.
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