Based on discussions with a number of providers of home care, some of the main challenges they are still encountering are:
CONSUMER STATEMENTS
Consumers are still confused with the two statements they are receiving and not understanding the difference between them. One statement is showing the package details and providing the balance they have left to spend at the end of each month. The other statement is showing what they have to pay for Daily Fees, Income Tested Fees and Top Ups etc.
Some suggestions:
- Have your case manager go through this during the initial meeting and show examples of the statements and when they can expect to receive them, especially if they are sent at different times.
- Use different coloured paper for the two types of statements.
- Clearly mark them with “You have to pay” on the billing statement and ”Balance to spend” on the package statement.
FEES
Staff are having to spend excessive time explaining to the consumer how the system works, including why they are being asked to pay daily & income tested fees. They also want to know why the provider is taking administration & case management fees out of their package funds.
Some suggestions:
- Make sure your case managers understand the fee structures so they can explain them to the consumer.
- Provide case managers with a script on the fee explanations.
MAJOR CHALLENGE
The initial sign up process is the major challenge with having to collect the consumer’s personal and financial data and generate the legal paperwork including the Home Care Agreement, Care Plan & Budget. This is still a very manual paper-based process making it difficult for the case manager to focus on the consumer and what they need.
Suggestion – Technology can help
Care Collaborator is a cloud based software designed to be used on a mobile device such as an iPad or laptop.
Care Collaborator was developed to:
- Simplify the data collection process and reduce the need for paperwork at the initial meeting with the consumer. It allows the Case Manager to focus on what they are good at which is assisting the consumer with the services they require to comfortably remain living at home.
- Allow case managers to travel light, only requiring a portable device to input the data.
- Allow case managers to focus on what they are good at, creating job satisfaction and reducing turnover.
- Provide the Home Care Manager with a dashboard showing each case manager’s consumer load and the number of unsigned Agreements
- Reduce the amount of data being re-keyed into other systems which ensures resources are being re-directed into more important areas
- Care Collaborator encourages collaboration between the case manager and the consumer and makes it a more consumer directed care process. It allows the consumer to feel that they are making the decisions that impact on their lifestyle.
