To pinpoint the advantages or disadvantages of electronic medical records and the software solutions that enable them, you first need to know what they are.
Electronic medical records are digitised versions of patient notes and personal details, with information such as demographics and psychographics. These records are managed through electronic patient records (EPR) software – sometimes called electronic health records (EHR).
You might be wondering why electronic medical records are such a talking point. The NHS is pushing for trusts across England – and leaning on devolved NHS partners elsewhere in the UK – to onboard these solutions in all hospitals as a way to optimise the administrative and data processes involved in managing patient care.
In this article we will explore the impact of electronic records on the quality of care and any supporting evidence, before discussing the benefits and the challenges that face healthcare professionals and their organisations.
Do electronic medical records improve quality of care?
Knowing how to start a supported living business is important for the provision of supported accommodation. Many homes available to rent aren’t suitable for people with disabilities or the elderly, which is why special provision must be made for them.
Without them people are unable to enjoy independence and the freedoms they deserve, which is why setting up supported living accommodation can be such a positive business pursuit. This isn’t ignoring the fact that it’s a business venture, and as such there are ways to balance benevolence and good deeds with financial sustainability.
In this article we cover that balance – explaining what a supported living business is, how to set up supported living accommodation, the requirements surrounding housing for people with disabilities, and crucially how technology can benefit supported living businesses. This last part is obviously where our expertise at Access comes into play, but it’s also an interesting insight into the nature of modern health and care tech, and how it’s easier than ever to provide a high-quality service.
Supported Living Business
To understand patient engagement strategies, we first must define what a patient engagement strategy is – or at least what its purpose is.
A patient engagement strategy is a plan of action to further improve patient engagement with the healthcare provider and their own care. Research has shown that better patient engagement leads to better care outcomes, and this is the main purpose of any healthcare provider – to provide the best care possible.
Patient activation (how proactive a patient is with their own care) is generally fairly low, but the traditional doctor-patient relationship is being altered slowly but surely. Now the process is much more collaborative and a conversation, with younger generations especially – thanks to modern technology – taking a greater interest in their healthcare.
More software applications are being developed too; to avoid inequality in care by being easy to learn and easy to use by those who may lack the digital literacy of the younger generations, thus being inclusive and giving everyone the opportunity to be part of their care journey and to feel more involved.
In this article we will be exploring the patient experience, general strategies for engagement, how these tactics can be used within healthcare specifically, and how healthcare organisations can build upon this to develop a framework for future rollouts of patient engagement strategies.
Commissioning cycles for social care can vary across different local authorities. The social care needs of a local authority can change continuously so it is vital procedures are in place to accommodate that so every individual gets the care they need when they need it.
But, what are the best ways to do this?
With the NHS pushing local authorities to use both population health management and strength-based approach, it can get complicated when figuring out how best to commission care in your local area to accommodate to your local community’s needs whilst following specific approaches, and aiming to reach national targets.
Whether you are a care provider or a care commissioner it is vital to understand the commissioning cycle definition and how to adapt it to meet the care needs of your local area. With budgets so limited it is crucial to have methods in place that re-evaluate the care delivered to ensure the best care quality at the best price is always delivered.
At The Access Group we have encountered many local authorities using cyclical models to define requirements, select providers, and evaluate their services.
This article will review what the commissioning cycle is in social care, why it is important, as well as breaking down the commissioning cycle stages and what the benefits are from using technology in every step of the commissioning cycle to enable better commissioning, better outcomes, and better quality of life for the residents in your local community.
The UK domiciliary care market is continuing to grow year on year. In 2020 it was recorded that over 810,000 people were receiving homecare across the UK and it is clear that number is continuing to rise rapidly.
In fact, The Department of Health and Social Care have predicted that 57% more adults aged 65 and over in England will require homecare in 2038 compared to 2018.
As the demand keeps increasing so does the pressure on care providers to arrange and deliver the care and support individuals require to delay future care needs, help reduce discharge delays, and allow individuals to remain as independent in their own homes for as long as possible.
In order to reach this demand successfully, local authorities need to overcome the home care challenges which care providers, caregivers, care workers, and the individuals themselves have to deal with.
But what are the challenges that are facing the domiciliary care market and how can they be avoided or overcome?
This article will review what domiciliary care is, the challenges facing the market and how best to overcome them with technology, so local authorities can be better prepared for the demand now and in the future to ensure the best quality and continuity of care is always delivered.
The Care Act’s local authority responsibilities have changed since the Health and Care bill passed in 2022. Local authorities will soon be under the supervision and scrutiny of the CQC, including the use of CQC inspection of local authorities. With that, many of the responsibilities which local authorities have under the Care Act have been discussed consistently including both market shaping and market oversight.
You may be wondering what these responsibilities mean for your local community and how by ensuring you are delivering these duties, you can you have a better provision of care.
At the Access Group we are aware of the challenges local authorities are facing currently which can impede you delivering the duties under the Care Act. We understand the issues with discharge delays, contract management, and managing longer term care plans to name a few.
The Care Certificate is everywhere in social care. But what is the Care Certificate? Many owners, managers, care workers and other stakeholders are still unclear on some aspects of it. In this blog we answer the key questions those groups have around the Care Certificate, including what is the Care Certificate? What kind of training is available? Where can I find a workbook? Can I find answers online? And more.
Equality and diversity in health and social care is incredibly important, but often overlooked. It should be an integral part of your service rather than a bonus or benefit.
Equality means that everyone in the care setting is given equal opportunities, regardless of their background, abilities or lifestyle.
On the other hand, diversity means that differences between people should be appreciated and people’s beliefs, cultures and values should be treated with respect.
Are you looking for local government technology trends that will improve the quality and mitigate the risks to the range of services your local government department provides? Have you recently started revitalising your digital journey but are not sure what software, products, or equipment are best to invest in? Or maybe you’re just interested in seeing how other local authorities are innovating workflows with technology?
If that is you, then your first step is to fully understand the variety of technology that can be used to improve your services.
Very much like legislation, technology is constantly changing. It is essential to keep up-to-date with the latest technology advances and trends to ensure the needs of citizens in your local area are met, outcomes improve, and both local and national targets are reached.
CQC inspections of local authorities were reintroduced as part of the Health and Care Act 2022, as you are probably already aware.
These changes allow the CQC to act upon their additional responsibilities laid out in the Care Act 2014. Here their additional responsibilities include assessing how local authorities are meeting their adult social care duties including market shaping, market oversight and more.
You may be wondering exactly how the CQC inspections of local authorities will work, what will the CQC be assessing, and most importantly how can your local council can best prepare for CQC local authority inspections.
At the Access Group we want to make sure that all local authorities are as prepared as they can be for these new inspection changes, and we will be answering these key questions in this article.
As well as addressing the fundamentals about the changes to the CQC inspection we will also address how the CQC have been preparing their assessment methods and what they discovered from testing and the changes they are making to ensure when these new inspections take place they will be effective and beneficial for all those involved.
