Dovehaven significantly enhances resident experience and care outcomes through digital transformation

Discover how Dovehaven is enhancing outcomes, streamlining care operations and increasing revenues

About Dovehaven

This year, Dovehaven Care Homes has been recognised and listed in the prestigious Care Home Awards as one of the Top 20 Care Home Groups in the North West.

dovehaven-care-team

This acknowledgement underscores its high standing and strong reputation as a well-established care home group highly respected for its commitment to providing exceptional care to its residents.

Dovehaven, a family-owned business primarily working with people living with dementia, is committed to providing exceptional care for more than 1000 residents.

Prioritising a compassionate and person-centred approach, the dedicated care staff consistently go above and beyond to ensure that each resident receives the individual attention and care they deserve.

With 23 care homes, Dovehaven provides a wide range of care services to meet the diverse needs of older adults within the community.

These services include:

  • Residential
  • Nursing
  • Dementia
  • Specialist care    
                           

  

Jo Hadfield, Head of Clinical Governance, and Chris Conlon, Head of IT and Digital Transformation from Dovehaven Care Homes, provide valuable insights into their experiences with Person Centred Software's Connected Care Platform.

Chris Conlon, Head of IT and Digital Transformation, begins by saying:

At Dovehaven, we wanted to invest in the best cutting-edge technology to enhance and elevate the overall quality of care we provide residents. Digital transformation should deliver outcomes, not just tech, and since deciding to go with Person Centred Software (PCS), our digital transformation journey couldn't have been better; it has been seamless and delivered the outcomes we were hoping for! The benefits of PCS's Connected Care Platform's integrated solutions across our care homes have been enormous.

The platform's solutions have helped capture valuable data, support residents' independence, meet the CQC's standards, improve the overall quality of care and resident outcomes, elevate the care experience for residents, and improve well-being, among other things.

pcs-digital-social-care-record-system

We chose PCS based on word-of-mouth referrals and by listening to discussions at social care events, webinars, and the Care Leaders Network, a professional community for the leaders of social care organisations. These events provided valuable insights on what tools to use and which ones to avoid, and PCS has garnered much positive PR and built a strong reputation with numerous success stories.

All of Dovehaven's care homes benefit from PCS's Connected Care Platform.

Before we transitioned to digital 

Before PCS DSCR implementation, the homes primarily operated using traditional paper-based processes for documentation and care management. This included daily charts, all kept on paper, making it more cumbersome to track, oversee and manage resident information efficiently.

Before transitioning to PCS's DSCR system, we faced numerous issues with an old care planning system. Oversight required on-site access. The situation became even more challenging during the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent lockdowns.

Unlocking the benefits of digital in-care

Since transitioning to PCS's DSCR system, we have seen significant improvements in our operational efficiency. We now have enhanced visibility across all homes, allowing us to conduct thorough audits, perform in-depth analyses, and monitor each home without always needing to be physically present. The system has also helped streamline our processes and significantly improve the quality of care we deliver to our residents.

person-centred-care

From a business development standpoint, the collaboration with our account manager, Lisa and the dedicated implementation specialists from PCS has been invaluable. Lisa has provided extensive support and personalised guidance throughout the entire process. Nearly three years have passed since we decided to implement PCS's DSCR system, and looking back, it stands out as one of the most impactful decisions we've made.

Good quality records underpinning safe, effective, compassionate and high-quality care

Jo Hadfield, Head of Clinical Governance, adds her insights on using PCS's DSCR system: 

I have worked in the care sector for many years, including for the NHS and private healthcare organisations, and a consistent issue we always encounter is the technical skill set of staff.

Since Dovehaven implemented PCS's DSCR system, carers and nurses have found it generally easy to use. We have supported our teams with training and written support guides. From a user interface perspective, it's very user-friendly.

Furthermore, the system's data accuracy has significantly enhanced resident care, especially from a compliance standpoint. With all this information readily available, it was clear that adopting this system was the right decision for our organisation.

improving-care-outcomes-with-pcs

The system has also significantly streamlined our administrative processes. Previously, we had to gather various charts and paper care plans to review people's care, but now we have all the information we need, all in one place.

While we can't provide an exact figure for the time saved, it's a substantial improvement for us and the care staff, who now can spend more quality time with the residents. From a Quality & Compliance perspective, we now have information at our fingertips instantly to review & triangulate residents' care, and this has significantly reduced time & workload whilst producing more in-depth analysis.

Compliant with GDPR and regulatory bodies 

When we relied on paper from a GDPR perspective, we often encountered significant challenges. With PCS's DSCR system, we don't need to worry about anything. The platform is designed with a strong emphasis on data security and information governance.

Protective measures include encrypted data storage, controlled access to sensitive information, and regular audits to ensure compliance with data protection regulations. As a result, we can have confidence in safeguarding our client's personal information, allowing us to focus more on providing quality care without the constant worry of data mishaps.

Handy features that substantially improve the provision of care

The system's Mental Capacity Assessment tool and reports are invaluable; they help us proactively identify and triage residents to assess mental capacity and ensure that the care, support, and treatment they receive are tailored to meet their specific needs, be decision specific and reflect their personal preferences. This tool has become an essential part of our workflow, and we find ourselves utilising it frequently to ensure that all aspects of care are thoroughly considered and choices and preferences are adhered to.

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The wound documentation section on PCS is phenomenal. This feature is crucial for maintaining up-to-date wound care records. It allows the teams to document and photograph wounds accurately, offering a comprehensive view of each resident's condition and treatment progress. This visual documentation evaluates whether the current care strategies are practical and makes communicating details clearly with health and care professionals and families easy. In summary, every feature of the system has unique benefits and collectively supports our mission to provide the best possible care for residents.  

Helping to enhance reputation and financial performance 

Along with the above, the system has also helped us improve revenues across the care group by reducing the time spent on administrative tasks, such as typing care notes, creating care plans, etc. This efficiency allows care workers to dedicate more time to caring for residents. As a result, we have seen improvements in resident outcomes and satisfaction, enhancing the care home group's reputation and financial performance. 

A significant improvement in resident outcomes

We also implemented PCS's Wellness and Activities platform to enhance our residents' physical and emotional wellbeing, and it has done just that! Before implementation, we did not have a wellbeing platform that could be accessed outside the activity coordinator role, meaning that residents had minimal access to activities outside these hours or on evenings/weekends.

The platform is particularly valuable because it provides various activities suited to different ability levels, ensuring everyone can participate and benefit.

pcs-activities

Being an activities coordinator is a rewarding role that offers the opportunity to make a meaningful impact every day. It requires creativity, organisation, and the ability to engage with residents effectively. Without the support of a digital platform like this, it can be difficult to plan and execute activities that resonate with everyone. PCS's Wellness and Activities platform is an essential tool that simplifies this process, ultimately leading to a more enriching environment for all residents. 

Equipping our activity coordinators with the Wellness and Activities platform improved the lives of the residents under our care. The exercise sessions improved mobility and helped residents stay engaged and active. In particular, the strength and balance exercises and interactive live exercise sessions have proven effective. These exercise sessions also played a crucial role among residents, leading to a notable decrease in falls since implementation.

Meaningful activities for residents living with dementia

Among many other things, the platform offers specially designed reminiscence newspapers for older adults and people living with dementia, themed calendars, fun quizzes, which our residents love and virtual tours, both of which provide a stimulating experience. These enjoyable activities are crucial in keeping residents mentally active and engaged, vital for their overall wellbeing. 

quality-time-with-residents

One of the features we appreciate is the ability to filter activity recommendations specifically for individuals living with dementia. This thoughtful design makes it considerably easier for care workers to identify activities that have been carefully trialled and tested for effectiveness. Knowing that these activities are tailored to meet the unique needs of people living with dementia ensures they will be both beneficial and suitable, helping to enhance their quality of life.

Track and measure resident outcomes

Additionally, the platform lets us meticulously track and measure resident outcomes and impacts through comprehensive reports. Since implementing PCS's Wellness and Activities platform, we have observed an improvement in resident outcomes. All our homes actively engage with the platform to enhance resident care and overall satisfaction. This engagement ensures we can monitor progress and make data-driven decisions to improve our services.

Streamlining front desk admin through Digital Reception

Our homes have implemented Digital Reception, another Connected Care Platform solution we began using a few weeks ago. The feedback has been positive so far, and this user-friendly tool makes the sign-in process seamless and efficient.

digital-reception

Gathering feedback and listening to individuals’ experiences of care

Furthermore, the Care Quality Commission highly prioritises feedback. To ensure the delivery of safe, effective, caring, responsive, and well-led services, we must gather comprehensive feedback, actively listen to individuals' care experiences, and take appropriate action based on that feedback. PCS's Digital Reception is contributing to this.

We have a lot of live data coming into the system, and the feedback it generates has been tremendous. We can leverage the software to create authentic reviews, which help improve our services and overall quality of care.

If anyone encounters problems they want to raise with Dovehaven, they can submit their concerns via Digital Reception. The system then enables us to identify and address issues promptly, helping us maintain a high standard of care and service.

Helping us identify and record pain levels at the point of care  

We also decided to implement PainChek, a pain assessment tool and one of PCS's integration partners. 

Painchek-pcs
PainChek is fantastic because it integrates with PCS's DSCR system. The integration between these two systems has been remarkable! When we conduct a pain assessment using the PainChek app, the results automatically populate a care note in PCS's DSCR system and are reflected in the PainChek app. This feature is handy because it ensures all pain assessment data is transferred to a resident care record, reducing the need for manual data handling.

Reducing the use of benzodiazepines

We've also had exceptional results in terms of reducing the use of PRN benzodiazepines, such as Lorazepam and Diazepam, which can be advocated for distressed behaviour management. Clinicians usually avoid prescribing benzodiazepines (such as Diazepam and Lorazepam) for older people with dementia because these drugs are associated with well-documented harms, including fall-related injuries such as fractures. They are also associated with cognitive worsening, an adverse event that is especially concerning in vulnerable older individuals who already have cognitive deficits.

painchek-logo

Now that PainChek has been implemented in all services, we have gained a deeper understanding of residents' pain levels and the specific reasons behind their distress. As dementia progresses, so does the likelihood that residents are experiencing pain.

Between 50% and 80% of residents with moderate to severe dementia experience pain daily.

 

The system allows us to better manage pain for people with cognitive impairment or anyone who has difficulty communicating. We can now measure people's pain more effectively and administer the appropriate medication or effective pain management plan; it's brilliant.

The overall impact of using multiple Connected Care solutions 

With such a wide range of software solutions available to address the many aspects of care management, navigating this landscape can be overwhelming for care providers.

However, Person Centred Software's Connected Care platform is a comprehensive solution. It effectively consolidates multiple systems into one integrated platform, simplifying the care delivery process for providers and improving resident outcomes. As Chris said earlier, digital transformation should deliver outcomes, not just tech, and since deciding to go with PCS, our resident outcomes have improved.

We have yet to fully explore all the Connected Care Platforms solutions, but we plan to do so soon. Our next steps include implementing PCS's Staff Dependency Tool and the Resident Experience Tool.

chris-conlon

 


Digital transformation should deliver outcomes, not just tech, and since deciding to go with Person Centred Software (PCS), our digital transformation journey couldn't have been better; it has been seamless and delivered the outcomes we were hoping for! 

Chris Conlon
Head of IT and Digital Transformation at Dovehaven

 

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