Running a care home is a complex and time-consuming task. It requires a strong team of professionals working together to create a safe and comfortable environment for residents alongside delivering first-class care. Each role faces a unique set of challenges that can impact their work and ability to deliver a quality service, which is where mobile care software can help to ensure aged care homes run smoothly, efficiently, and at an outstanding level.
Mobile care software is used within the Residential Aged Care sector to help with the day-to-day running of care homes and reduce the pressures on staff. Everything from assessments, wound care, body maps and review cycles are incorporated to provide up-to-date and detailed care plans. Mobile care software means care teams can evidence care at the point of delivery which saves a significant amount of time and helps to manage risk and support compliance, putting all resident data and interactions immediately in one place for easy access allowing nurses to monitor care in real-time.
Using mobile care software within a care home can significantly improve the experience of delivering care for staff and the quality of services received by residents. Cumbersome, inaccessible and illegible paper records have become a thing of the past; mobile software ensures that the care home runs smoothly and that day-to-day management is easier and more efficient.
The care home’s clinical and administrative areas will benefit from increased data quality, improved collaboration with external agencies, and improved care quality. With digital software that’s accessible and easy to use, everyone within the care home, from management, administration staff, care and nursing staff, the residents themselves and their families, benefits from greater transparency, improved accuracy and cost-efficiency.
Mobile care software enables care home staff to deliver residents’ individual care needs. It improves transparency and allows for greater insight into a home’s care service, those delivering it, and each individual the service supports. Residents’ care records are available to all staff, so there is no need to chase around for information. Records are visible at all times, ensuring care staff can instantly refer to them if a resident’s GP visits or a relative or external agency has queries.
Here are six key benefits of using mobile care software within an aged care setting.
Mobile care software saves valuable time and creates a more responsive environment. Nursing staff can spend more quality time with residents as evidencing of care is very quick and easy to record as it happens to enable nurses and carers to spend less time on paperwork and more time on care. Nurses and carers are empowered to deliver and receive an effective handover and can make informed decisions to benefit the residents they care for.
Icons play a key role in making recording care notes quick, easy and accurate. There’s no more deciphering illegible handwriting or potentially recording or reviewing inaccurate information. Regardless of their language, experience or skill level, all carers and staff can easily use the software and spend more time delivering care.
Learn how technology is helping overcome language barriers in aged care.
The efficiency, speed, and accuracy of evidence care at the point of delivery means nurses have more time to interact with residents and deliver nurse-led care.
Mobile software technology is easy to use; all staff will feel confident recording their resident interactions and care delivery in an easy format for others to analyse. It also helps eliminate the risk of errors, providing peace of mind that the information recorded is accurate and cannot be mislaid or misunderstood.
Secure cloud-based technology provides care home facilities with a combination of security, transparency, scalability and data-sharing capabilities. It’s a more cost-effective option than on-site data centres and more secure than hosting data on standard computers.
Mobile technology significantly improves communication and teamwork among staff. The transparency and availability of resident care data mean that everyone has access to the same information and can deliver safer and more joined-up care. Relatives can also access this information providing greater peace of mind that their loved ones are comfortable and content. Read more about how relatives can stay connected and involved in the care of loved ones.
With mobile care software, nurses spend less time on paperwork and more time on delivering quality care to residents. Care homes can benefit from improved working practices and better teamwork due to immediate visibility and accountability.
Tammy Sherwood, CEO of Person Centred Software Australia, explains:
“Statistics suggest the software saves each carer at least 60 minutes per day – time previously spent completing paperwork and carrying out other time-consuming administrative tasks. Across Australia, we calculate our software saves carers a total of 180,000 minutes every day. A remarkable stat, especially because this time can be re-invested in taking care of residents.
Relatives benefit too from Person Centred Software’s Clinical Care System, particularly the Relatives Gateway platform. This allows them to send secure social media style messages and photos to family members in their aged care facilities; a tool that has proven especially useful during the recent coronavirus outbreak.”
