Complete Guide to AN-ACC

What is AN-ACC?

ACFI was replaced by a new case-mix classification tool called AN-ACC in October 2022. AN-ACC focuses on individual care needs and those costs of care that benefit each aged care resident, which will be the basis for the new funding model.

It comprises a number of key elements with new residential aged care funding concepts added too. The assessment for care planning purposes is separate from the assessment of the resident for funding, which is undertaken by independent external assessors, capturing only the information necessary to assign a resident to a particular class for funding. Healthcare professionals who know the resident well, undertake the AN-ACC assessment for care planning purposes and should be person-centred, based on residents' needs, strengths, preferences and appetite for risk.

Why the AN-ACC funding model is important to all Aged Care Homes

The new funding model, the Australian National Aged Care Classification (AN-ACC), is intended to increase stability and fairness across residential aged care funding and improve accuracy and national consistency in assessments. It also aims to reduce time spent on paperwork, encourage innovation and a culture of restorative care and enable providers to increase time spent on safe and effective resident care.

This will transform the way aged care homes operate, taking into account every area of the residents' needs, ensuring care plans meet the personalised approach residents deserve, without compromising on important medical, social, emotional, lifestyle and spiritual needs of each individual.

How to support the requirements of AN-ACC residential aged care funding in your care home

Residential aged care homes need to make sure they are aware of the classes that their residents have been allocated to, and the impact on funding that may have. While ACFI funding was specific to different care needs, the Australian National Aged Care Classification (AN-ACC) provides funding that can be managed by the provider to provide the best care for their residents.

Digital clinical documentation will be key to ensuring that your aged care home continues to receive the best funding for each aged care resident. Clinical information is the proof that you will require when requesting a reassessment, outside of the hospitalisation reasons. Providers will be able to request a reassessment if 12 months have passed for classes 2-8, or 6 months for classes 9-12 should there have been a significant change in care needs, which a digital clinical care system should be able to support the provider in making the decision for reassessment.

Digital Clinical Documentation: The key to ensuring funding under the new model

Increasingly more aged care providers are seeing that digital clinical documentation systems encourage a more person-centred approach to care delivery focusing on each resident and their individual needs. It allows for improved digital planning and monitoring of the resident's care, as care is being delivered, which reduces the time it takes to evidence care which means care staff can focus on delivering the best possible care to their residents, without having to worry about paper documentation.

Icon-driven technology also reduces the need for written language, eliminating language barriers between staff of different nationalities and reducing the risk of misinterpretation.

Through simple, comprehensive software, staff can evidence care quickly and whilst on the go which means the data is securely saved instantaneously and is accessible to all those in the organisation who require access. Care staff now have the resources to save time, reduce workloads, minimise errors, and enhance collaboration, whilst being able to deliver a high standard of care the residents deserve. Technology that can often be misconstrued as difficult and complex has now proven to be an instrumental part of aged care homes’ success, helping to pave the way towards a sustainable funding model that places outstanding care at the heart of its ethos.

Learn more about how digital clinical documentation systems can demonstrate quality care for aged care homes to help secure funding under the new model.