After analysing your spending inefficiencies and deciding what data you need to collect to improve your care service in step one of Budgeting for Better Care: Action Plan, then you will start to think about how you will collect this data. Choosing the right technology enabled care (TEC) solution is a crucial step in your journey towards more effective and cost-efficient adult social care. As you evaluate potential options, there are two key factors to consider:
1. Evaluating TEC Solutions
2. Achieving Operational Flexibility and Reliability
Let's dive into each of these factors in more detail:
1. Evaluating Technology Enabled Care Solutions
The foundation of your technology solution selection should be built on the insights it can provide. After all, the true power of technology lies in its capacity to transform raw data into meaningful, actionable information that can empower carers to deliver the best possible care.
“Real time data … ensures people receive the right care, at the right time, and the right people have access to the information they need.” - Digitising social care fund
Checklist for Evaluating TEC Solutions
1a. Prioritising Interoperability
Look for TEC solutions that prioritise interoperability, allowing for seamless communication and data exchange between various software platforms and care peripherals. Interoperability is essential in three key areas:
- Device interoperability: The ability to connect and control a wide range of devices and peripherals, enabling personalised, proactive care responses.
- Information interoperability: The capacity to aggregate and centralise data from multiple sources, transforming raw information into actionable insights.
- Process interoperability: The flexibility to design, tailor, and automate care processes, streamlining operations and improving efficiency.
Interoperable systems ensure that information flows freely, enabling a comprehensive understanding of an individual's health and wellbeing. This level of integration is essential for aggregating data from multiple sources, providing you with a holistic view of your service users' needs.
1b. Ensuring Data Centralisation
Equally important is the ability of the technology enabled care solution to centralise key data to deliver the best care outcomes. By consolidating information from different touchpoints, you can gain a unified perspective on your service users' requirements, informing more effective decision-making and resource allocation. A centralised data platform empowers you to identify trends, pinpoint areas for improvement, and make data-driven decisions that optimise your adult social care operations.
1c. Assessing Analytical Capabilities
The TEC solution you choose should go beyond simply collecting and storing data. Look for platforms that offer robust analytical functionality, capable of sifting through vast datasets, identifying patterns and correlations, and highlighting cost-avoidance opportunities. This proactive approach transforms raw data into actionable insights, enabling you to make informed choices about resource allocation and service delivery.
1d. Evaluating Scalability and Flexibility
As your adult social care needs evolve, your TEC solution must be able to adapt and scale accordingly. Look for platforms that are designed with future growth in mind, offering the flexibility to accommodate changing requirements, integrate new technologies, and expand the scope of your services. This futureproofing will ensure that your TEC investment continues to deliver value over the long term.
1e. Achieving Operational Flexibility and Reliability
In addition to generating actionable insights, your care technology solution must also be designed to provide the operational flexibility and reliability required to support your adult social care services effectively.
2. Checklist for Ensuring Operational Flexibility and Reliability
2a. Maintaining Resilience
Prioritise TEC solutions that are built to withstand disruptions and ensure the continuity of your care services. Look for features such as:
- Network connectivity resilience e.g. the ability to connect to the internet via SIM, WiFi and Ethernet and switch between these to find the best connection.
- Data backup systems to avoid losing alarms e.g. In North Yorkshire, the Andi hub received an alarm but there was no internet connection, unlike most DAU’s Andi stored the alarm and delivered it when there was a small internet signal via lean services.
- Robust security measures to safeguard your operations and protect the sensitive data of your service users.
Resilience is key to providing uninterrupted support to your service users, even in the face of unexpected challenges.
2b. Enabling Seamless Integration
Choose a solution that can integrate seamlessly with your existing care workflows and processes, a good option for this is a software-based solution that can work in partnership with you to tailor the service to suit your needs. This can eliminate the need for costly and time-consuming customisations of more typical hardware products. This will facilitate a smooth transition and help your teams adapt to the new technology more effectively, ensuring a swift and successful implementation.
3c. Fostering Operational Flexibility
The TEC solution you select should be designed to adapt to your evolving needs and priorities. Look for platforms that offer the flexibility to scale up or down, modify configurations, and integrate new technologies as required. This agility will allow you to respond quickly to changing circumstances, optimising your adult social care services for maximum efficiency and effectiveness.
By focusing on these two key factors - evaluating TEC solutions and ensuring operational flexibility and reliability - you can be confident that the technology you choose will not only help you control spending efficiency but also drive improved care outcomes for your service users. Remember, the right technology is just the beginning – the true transformative power of Technology Enabled Care lies in its capacity to empower your teams and enhance the overall quality of care.
If you would like to use a technology enabled care solution and manage your spending efficiencies with Andi, get in touch with the team.