6 Best Care Management Platforms for 2024

All information correct as of Feb 2024

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So you’re looking to take your domiciliary care business digital? Or perhaps you already use software to manage and deliver care, but are ready for a change in 2024? Check out the 6 best Care Management Platforms for 2024 below, along with some useful information on how to choose the right one for you, and what some of the advantages of going digital can be.

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What is a care management platform? 

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A ‘care management platform’ is a piece of software that helps domiciliary care providers manage operations more efficiently. This can often include a desktop toolkit for administrators, care managers and coordinators; and a mobile app for care professionals and family members. 

Technology can help streamline processes such as rostering, care delivery and auditing, while also flagging areas of the business that require additional support, such as financial concerns or scheduling. With the help of a care management platform, domiciliary care providers can better manage every part of care delivery, and ultimately provide better quality of care for their clients.

Care Management software also provides a secure environment for storing data, allowing providers to access information quickly and easily - making meeting and demonstrating regulatory standards a much lighter lift. That’s why NHS England refers to care management platforms as Digital Social Care Records!

Did you know that Birdie is an approved Assured Supplier for NHS England Digital Social Care? Find out more about that here.

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Top 6 best care management platforms 

Here are some of the best care management platforms available, with some brief descriptions to help you get an overview of what they offer. 

Birdie

Website: birdie.care

NHS England Assured Supplier? Yes

Brief description:

Built specifically for domiciliary care providers, Birdie software offers a range of care management tools including digital assessments, eMAR, care planning, preventative alerts, third party access, an easy-to-use care professional app and more. Birdie provides a single platform solution used by care businesses of all sizes across the UK and Europe, with care management, rostering, financing and analytics tools, alongside practical resources and support for the care industry.

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Access

Website:  theaccessgroup.com

NHS England Assured Supplier? Yes

Brief description:

Access is a cloud-based care management platform. As well as homecare providers, Access covers a very wide range of healthcare providers. For domiciliary care, it provides features such as scheduling, billing, reporting, and analytics, and also offers a range of tools for managing client information, tracking visits and activities, and monitoring staff performance.

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Carebeans Care Software

Website: carebeans.co.uk

NHS England Assured Supplier? Yes

Brief description:

Care Beans provides care management software designed to help both residential and domiciliary providers manage their operations. Features include scheduling, client management, reporting, billing & invoicing, and an app for care providers.

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Care Control Systems

Website: carecontrolsystems.co.uk

NHS England Assured Supplier? Yes

Brief description:

Supporting both residential and homecare providers, Care Control provides a suite of features to help users manage client information, staff scheduling, invoicing, reporting, and more. It also offers an integrated mobile app for caregivers to access client information on the go. 

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Log my Care

Website: logmycare.co.uk

NHS England Assured Supplier? Yes

Brief description:

For both domiciliary and residential care, Log My Care provides a care management platform with a range of features to help a wide variety of care businesses keep track of their clients, manage staff, and manage reporting. Tools include care and support plans, electronic logs and incident management.

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Person Centred Software (PCS)

Website: personcentredsoftware.com/en-gb

NHS England Assured Supplier? Yes

Brief description:

Person Centred Software supports a wide range of healthcare providers, including domiciliary care. Features include a care delivery app, care monitoring, care planning and fluid and nutrition management.

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Article continues below this video!

Birdie spoke to real Care Professionals at Alina Homecare to see how they find using Birdie:

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How to choose your care management platform? 

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Choosing the right care management platform for your domiciliary care business can make a lot of difference. The right platform could help you increase employee satisfaction and retention rates, improve your regulatory rating, strengthen all aspects of your business and ultimately help you thrive! The wrong care management platform may cause even more issues than it solves. This is why it’s so important to find the right one for you and your team.

Despite all being in the same industry, every homecare business has different needs when it comes to the technology provider that best fits them. Here are some simple ways to break down how to choose a care management platform that’s right for you.

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Return on investment

If you’re taking your very first steps into digital care management tools, it can be tempting to think ‘I’ll take the cheapest route possible and see if it works for me’ or ‘I’ll just use the simplest possible tools to get used to it’. This can work out ok if you or your care team has experience with similar technology, but a cheap solution can end up costing more in the long run due to system errors, incompatibility, poor support and limited features. Ask your potential care management platform provider if they have any useful data around long term cost saving vs the price of their tools, and find a balance that works for you.

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Available features

Depending on the size and complexity of your homecare business and the services you offer, you may need less (or much more specific) features in your care management software. For example, for very small businesses who only offer personal care, then a set of simple care management tools to get yourselves up and running may work well - for providers that offer complex care, live-in care, are part of a franchise or that simply have ambitions to offer those things, then it is worth making sure that the care management platform you choose can cater for all of your needs. 

It is also worth noting that software suppliers that cover a very wide range of healthcare industry needs beyond domiciliary care (such as hospitals, GPs, residential etc) will often be covering multiple areas at once, and therefore may not have as much resource to focus on your specific set of needs.

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Uptime and security

The uptime (the time a system is working and available) of your care management platform is crucial when it comes to delivering outstanding care. If your team is relying on a system to provide visit information, track check-ins, raise alerts and update medical records then it needs to have a great track record of being available at all times. Additionally, it also needs to have the highest security standards possible. A good way to check for these factors is to either ask the platform directly while having a demo or look on their website for their data or security certifications.

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Ratings and reviews

Ratings and reviews are a good way to find out if a care management platform is right for you. By looking through Trustpilot, Facebook, Google and app store reviews, you can pick up on features or concerns that you can then ask about during a demo. 

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Investment and support

Check to see how much recent investment the technology provider has had, or how often they are building and releasing new features. This can be a good indicator of how up-to-date the software is, and how future proof it will be as you grow your business. Alongside this, find out how happy people have been with the support offered - if reviews seem to suggest it’s all automated, hard to get a hold of people or that it’s unhelpful then that could be another sign that the business is not prioritising their partners.

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Ease-of-use and onboarding

Finally, this point can make or break a care management platform. It’s normal for people to feel nervous about switching to new technology, especially if they are of a demographic that is less used to different softwares and platforms for their everyday life. This is why it’s important to assess how easy-to-use and intuitive the care management platform is - and how much support there is when it comes to onboarding. If there seems to be a simple, smart way to get moving quickly - like free training, workshops or an online academy - then this can be a good sign.

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Read also - Top 10 Care Platforms with the Best Support

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What are the advantages of care management platforms?

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Care management platforms, and going digital in general, can be a transformative experience for homecare businesses. 

They provide a simple way to get a clear overview across every aspect of care delivery - meaning safeguarding, person-centred care and response times are guaranteed to improve. Team retention can also get better - as registered managers, co-ordinators and admins are able to pick up on missed visits and alerts much faster, and can connect with the care professionals on the ground to resolve issues together. 

Regulatory ratings and inspections also become much easier, as managing and pulling key evidence becomes less of a dreaded chore and more of a simple lift. 

Finally, costs are often reduced overall - whether through increased visibility over the business, improved ratings leading to more opportunities or even reducing the amount spent on printer ink! 

All of this supports stability, peace-of-mind and general business growth.

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Future-Proofing Your Care Management

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Embracing technology is not just an option but a necessity to stay ahead in providing exceptional care. Among these technological advancements, Artificial Intelligence (AI), data analytics, and integration capabilities stand out as pivotal elements for future-proofing care management platforms. These advancements not only streamline operations but also significantly improve the care experience for both care professionals and recipients.

• Personalised Care Plans: AI analyses health data to predict and prevent potential issues, enabling care professionals to tailor their support to each individual's needs.
• Improved Decision-Making: Data analytics offer valuable insights into care outcomes, helping providers identify improvement areas and celebrate successes, fostering an environment of continuous enhancement.
• Enhanced Coordination: Integration capabilities ensure seamless communication between different software systems, leading to a more coordinated and efficient care delivery process.

By embracing these technologies, homecare and domiciliary care providers can ensure their services are not only relevant in today's digital age but also prepared to meet the challenges of tomorrow. This strategic approach to technology adoption can lead to higher satisfaction levels among care recipients, a more supported care professional team, and an overall improvement in care quality.

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What features should you look for in a Care Management Platform?

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Choosing the right care management platform is a big decision and getting the right features can make all the difference. 

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First and foremost, you need a system that offers comprehensive client records. 

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This means a centralised place where you can access all your clients’ information, from medical history to treatment plans, so nothing falls through the cracks. 

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At Birdie, we believe that integration capabilities are also crucial. 

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Your platform should work seamlessly with other systems to keep everything running smoothly and efficiently.

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Real-time data access and analytics are game-changers. 

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These tools allow healthcare providers to make informed decisions quickly, track client progress, and catch potential issues early. 

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Customisable care plans are another must-have. You want to be able to tailor care plans to each client’s needs, setting goals, scheduling follow-ups, and monitoring progress with ease. 

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Effective communication tools are key, too. The ability to message your team and set up automated reminders help keep the lines of communication open between your carers and care providers to ensure your clients receive the more personalised care. 

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Comprehensive reporting and documentation tools help you audit and track performance metrics, document client interactions, and help keep you compliant with CQC requirements. Finally, scalability is crucial. 

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Your platform should grow with your organisation, adapting to your needs without compromising on performance or functionality.

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How do Care Management Platforms enhance client engagement?

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Client engagement is crucial for better health outcomes and successful care management. 

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Modern care management platforms often come with client or family portals that give clients and their family members easy access to their health information, appointment schedules, and treatment plans. 

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These portals empower clients to take control of their care by providing transparency and convenience. 

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At Birdie, we offer mobile apps linked to our platform to provide patients with the flexibility to manage their health on the go. Find out more here >>

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Features like medication reminders, appointment notifications, and symptom trackers keep clients engaged with their care plans and help them stick to their treatment regimens.

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Additionally, personalised health education materials available through these platforms help patients understand their conditions and treatment options better, fostering a sense of involvement in their care journey. 

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Secure messaging features allow clients to communicate directly with their healthcare providers, making it easy to ask questions and get timely responses, which can alleviate concerns and improve overall satisfaction. 

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Automated follow-up reminders and check-ins ensure clients stay on track with their treatment plans, reducing the risk of missed appointments or skipped medications. By offering these tools and resources, care management platforms significantly enhance client engagement, leading to better health outcomes and a more proactive approach to personal care management.

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Want to try Birdie for your business? Hit the demo button below.

We think you’ll love it. However, there’s no obligation to buy, no sales pitch and no commitment.

See if it suits you.

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