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Why Digital Transformation in Care Homes is Often Misunderstood
Digital transformation has become a buzzword. While most people understand the efficiencies in digitalisation as a process, it’s the ‘transformation’ part which often causes concern. Many care homes don’t need jaw-dropping evolutions, they need real systems that work.
There’s also a fear that committing to digital transformation can disrupt person-centred approaches to care and undermine the vital role that care home teams play. Some may worry that the technicalities of a major digital overhaul won’t match the transformation it will bring.
What is Digital Transformation?
Digital transformation is not just about new software, it’s about updating the way that care is delivered, supported and managed. The purpose of digital transformation is to support your services in the long run. Digital transformation does not replace carers or remove humans.
Not only does digital transformation ease team workload and keep traceable audit trails but using digital technology is also a way of improving consistency across your team, visibility of your patients and confidence at all levels of care, from induction to inspection.
What Digital Transformation Looks Like in Practice
Care teams that operate on a digital model benefit from less paper-based admin errors, real-time patient care updates and year-round preparation for audit. It helps facilitate connected care records, detailed and high-level reporting, plus better compliance. That’s because digitalising your processes means that records stay accessible and actions are recorded in a digitalised history at the point-of-care. Plus, with automated reminders for team training, a busy day doesn’t take away from keeping training up to date.
Digital transformation also helps with integrated staffing and allows care teams to access records as they are delivering care, which prevents unnecessary delays and supports stretched teams.
Supporting Staff and Reducing Pressure
Choosing integrated software means different systems speak to each other. You just have to enter a piece of information once and it will be visible and accessible across multiple platforms. For staff, this can dramatically reduce admin overload and the duplication of documentation. As a result, there’s better communication across shifts and teams are more clear on their workflows.
Leadership, Visibility, and Confident Decision-Making
Every leader knows that the more information you have in your hands, the better your judgement calls. With digital care, that’s exactly what you get. Whether it’s top-level dashboards to help you spot patterns and areas of improvement, to reports on team training, upcoming certificate renewals or deep dives into data to get inspection ready. There’s a historical log and real-time insights which leads to fewer surprises and more considered care.
Digital Transformation and Regulation
The difference between paper-based or hybrid care management is that, when it comes to audit, collating the right documents and timelines can be a bit of an arduous task. Not to mention the correction of human-based errors.
Digitally mature care homes don’t have this same problem. Instead, they are always inspection ready. They benefit from an easy-to-configure audit trail which meets regulations and excels at compliance. That doesn’t just mean that audit preparation takes less time but also that you can all but remove the stress on the outcome. Compiling your evidence becomes a daily practice - one that makes it easy to spot when something is missing and one that’s always aligned with regulation
What High-Performing Care Homes Do Differently
High-performing care homes follow these steps to build efficient digitalised care.
1. Start with your "why"
You first need to get clear on why you’re implementing a change. It’s easy to see the benefits of digital transformation for care homes but it’s also good to be aware of the nuances of your business and the non-negotiables of your care. This will help you to prioritise what you need from a software and what areas to set up first.
2. Get your staff onboard early
Staff buy-in is crucial. Outline your reasoning, reassure their concerns and explain new ways of working as soon as possible. You’ll see less friction from your teams and more willingness to implement your system.
3. Work with your partners, not systems
More than the right software, you need the right people behind the technology. Be sure to speak with providers and come to them with your concerns. How they respond is a great test for your ongoing relationship. Digital transformation is a positive change, but it’s a change nonetheless, so you need the right people on your side.
4. Focus on technology adoption, not just installation
The temptation is to make the switch to your new software and leave your staff to it, but training is essential to ensure the system is used properly. Without correct adoption, your reporting becomes less accurate, records can still be duplicated and patients receive disjointed care.
Where to Start: Practical First Steps
The best way to go about an effective digital transformation is to do your research. (And reading this article is a good first step.)
Start by identifying pinch points in your current way of working to assess how digital solutions could best support you. It also helps if your pain points match similar issues from care providers who now follow a digital-first approach. Reading their stories and speaking to their staff will help you identify whether digital transformation is optional or essential. Your research will also want to include questions around daily usage, gaps in digital processes, staff adoption and building trust.
In your search for the perfect solution for your care, prioritise the experience of your frontline staff. You’ll want a system that’s easy-to-use and native to the care industry.
Then, once you’ve made your choice, build change slowly. That could look like starting with one software upgrade at a time or going all-in and staggering team training to reduce burnout.
