A 700% increase in care documentation at Columbia Aged Care

Published: 23 July 2024
Updated: 7 February 2025

Making care information accessible to the whole team

When Lucy O'Flaherty joined Columbia Aged Care as CEO, one of her priorities was ensuring that accurate, timely information was available to everyone who needed it.

The organisation's previous clinical care system presented several challenges. Staff had to type progress notes manually, which placed additional demands on team members with different levels of English literacy and confidence in written communication. Recording practices also varied across the organisation, making it harder to maintain consistent documentation. The version of the existing system was outdated and could not capture all the information required for compliance reporting.

Columbia needed a clinical care system that worked for its diverse workforce, supported reliable documentation and gave managers timely access to information they could use to respond to concerns and oversee care.

Bringing better care evidence into everyday decisions

Columbia Aged Care introduced PCS Care to make daily recording more accessible, improve the quality of care information and give staff and managers a clearer understanding of resident needs. The system has become useful across the organisation, from frontline carers recording support to senior leaders reviewing safety trends, responding to families and making operational decisions.

PCS Care: Making care recording easier for a diverse workforce

PCS Care's icon-driven Care Delivery App has made a significant difference to Columbia's frontline staff. Instead of manually typing every progress note, carers can use icons and images to record the support they provide. The approach has been particularly valuable for staff from different cultural and language backgrounds, giving them a more accessible way to document care.

The results have been substantial. Columbia reported a 700% increase in the documentation and evidence of care delivery, providing a much more detailed picture of residents' daily support.

Mobile recording has also changed how staff work during their shifts. Rather than carrying notebooks, recording observations and transferring information to computers later, care workers can document support at the point of delivery. This has reduced time spent at nursing stations and made it easier for staff to remain on the floor with residents.

Lucy acknowledged that introducing a different way of recording care required adjustment, particularly for nursing staff. PCS supported the transition through ongoing information and training sessions, helping teams become more confident with the system.

Using care data to make more informed safety decisions

PCS Care has also strengthened Columbia's ability to understand and respond to resident safety risks. The organisation can examine falls data in greater detail, including when incidents occur, where they happen and how frequently they are recorded. These insights have informed decisions about investment in sensor and predictive technologies. By identifying areas with higher numbers of falls, Columbia can consider where additional monitoring equipment may be most useful. The wider organisation also benefits from access to more detailed reports.

Columbia's corporate services teams, including HR, finance and quality, can review trends across resident care rather than relying solely on individual records. This gives leaders information to anticipate changing needs, plan staff training and guide operational decisions. The finance team can also cross-reference resident move-in dates with Medicare claims and other financial information, supporting more efficient reporting and planning.

Giving leaders faster answers when families raise concerns

Better access to resident information has changed how Columbia responds to questions from families. As CEO, Lucy can review care records and follow a resident's care journey without needing to ask clinical staff to investigate every query on her behalf.

This has been particularly useful when families raise concerns or misunderstandings about the care provided. Lucy can check detailed records, verify what happened and respond with accurate information. For Columbia, having this information readily available supports more timely communication with families while giving managers greater confidence when addressing compliance matters or reviewing care.

Better information behind every care decision

For Lucy and her team, the change at Columbia Aged Care has created a stronger connection between the care delivered each day and the decisions made across the organisation. Frontline staff can contribute more confidently to resident records, while managers and senior leaders can draw on that information to understand concerns, recognise patterns and decide where support is needed.

The increase in documented care gives Columbia a fuller picture of residents' experiences, supporting an approach where decisions are informed by what is happening throughout the home.