The prospect of going fully digital is one which fills many care providers with dread. This is an understandable reaction, as the thought of relying entirely on technology, not to mention training staff to use it correctly, is daunting – before you even consider the possible implementation and running costs! But if the pandemic has shown us anything, it is that the ‘old way’ of doing things isn’t necessarily ‘the right way’.
As we noted in a previous blog, at LaingBuisson’s virtual conference in 2020, leaders in the sector said a greater use of technology in social care will be “one of the good things” to come out of the pandemic. Here are 10 reasons why the sector should embrace the available technology, and go fully digital:
A fully digital system means that resident records which are usually held and updated on paper can be completed at the touch of a button. Staff use hand-held devices to note their observations, which are transferred directly to the Care Management System (CMS) See how PredicAire's Care Plans can help. Writing about the benefits of technology in social care, the Care Quality Commission (CQC) noted that it can help staff to “capture and compare data, and share good practice with peers”.
An obvious benefit of staff spending less time on paperwork is that they have more time to spend with the residents. CQC also highlighted this advantage, saying that technology can “help staff to prioritise and focus their attention on people who need it most”.
As we have described in a previous blog, technology can also undertake some resident interaction itself. International Caresses (Culture-Aware Robots and Environmental Sensor Systems for Elderly Support) is a multidisciplinary study which gave culturally competent robots to residents for up to 18 hours over two weeks; researchers reported a significant improvement in their mental health and a slight improvement in loneliness.
A fully digital system augmented by Artificial Intelligence (Ai) enables staff to spot, record and act upon changes to residents’ health quickly. This could be their physical health, or it could be related to their fluid intake, nutrition, mobility, or social interaction. Because anomalies will be spotted easily, swift action can be taken to prevent unnecessary outcomes.
One of the CQC’s Key Lines of Enquiry (KLOE) is whether the service is ‘Safe’. By storing all records digitally and in one place, it will be easy for providers to demonstrate to inspectors that their care service is ‘Safe’. Inspectors will find all the information they require at the touch of a button; and providers will always have the added benefit of being inspection-ready.
One of the most important learnings to come out of the pandemic is the need for good, regular communication between residents, care employees and residents’ family and friends. Technology such as MS Teams, Google Meet, Zoom, FaceTime and Skype were put to use as never before, to keep residents virtually in touch with the outside world who were unable to visit.
A fully digital care home would not only be able to offer this type of communication, but could also keep loved ones up to date with real-time information on residents’ health and activities. This level of reassurance is invaluable to family and friends who may not be able to visit regularly, as they will be confident that their loved one is being well cared for.
A recent Government policy paper1 stated that “Technology systems used daily across hospitals, GP surgeries, care homes, pharmacies and community care facilities don’t talk to each other, fail frequently and do not follow modern cyber security practices. As a result, some people are getting suboptimal care, staff are frustrated and money could be saved and released for the front line.”
A fully digital care home can receive the required information on their new resident electronically, reducing the need for laborious scanning and emailing of documents. The resident’s information can then be transferred directly to the home’s care management system, avoiding the possibility of errors when data is entered by hand.
Not only does this speed up the process of admitting a resident to a care home, thus enabling them to settle into an appropriate setting for their needs more quickly; it also means that the home will not have an empty bed which is not being paid for whilst the transfer is delayed.
Keeping staff records in a digital format means an end to bulging paper files in a cabinet! The information you need will be easily accessible - a digital system will show you which staff are due to receive training so that it can be planned accordingly, and your up-to-date training records will then be available to CQC inspectors when they visit.
No care home has an entire staff team who work the same shifts every week with no overtime, sickness or changes. Errors in the recording of hours worked only become apparent on payday, and can then be difficult and time-consuming to rectify, as well as potentially affecting the relationship between employer and employee.
Using digital clocking in and out systems removes this problem, as hours worked can be recorded accurately and paid accordingly.
With Registered Managers receiving constant demands for their attention, it is easy for maintenance matters to fall down the priority list – until something stops working! This usually results in a large call-out charge to diagnose the issue, before it is fixed.
A fully digital system can avoid this issue, by providing real-time fault notifications and accountability, as well as ensuring that planned preventative maintenance is effectively carried out.
With a large number of safeguarding incidents and the heavy regulation around medicines, having a trusted medicine management system can be the difference in being a well-run care operator versus one under embargo. Ensuring residents take the correct medicine at the right time with sufficient stock in place brings peace of mind to all concerned in the delivery of care to the resident. This feature will be available soon!
The final of our Top 10 Reasons to go fully digital is arguably one of the most important. Although we hope that numbers 1-9 have convinced you to take the leap, not everyone will be ready to do it. By being an early adopter of an Ai system, you will gain a significant competitive advantage over other providers in your area.
Not only can you operate more efficiently, which will keep your costs down, but you will also have happier residents who are spending more time with staff, happier staff as the paper burden is eliminated, and consequently happier family and friends, who can see their loved ones are being well cared for.
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