Digital care planning software: what you need to know

In this post, you'll learn why you should use a digital care planning software.

In our recent blog we discussed the importance of a person centred care plan. We also mentioned that there are types of person centred software available to help you do this and make it even easier to create person centred care plans.

In this blog, we’ll discuss how person centred care plans can be created using Birdie’s software, and the benefits of digital care plans, so if you’re thinking about going paperless with your care plans you’ve got all the information you need.
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What is a digital care planning software?

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A digital care planning software is a platform that helps care providers to create and manage individualized care plans for their patients.

The software typically includes a care plan template that can be customized to meet the specific needs of the patient, as well as a range of features that allow the care provider to track the progress of the patient's care plan and make changes as necessary.

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Paper care planning vs digital care planning software

The care industry is facing change; speaking at the Policy Exchange, Matt Hancock suggested that the CQC would begin assessing how appropriately providers are using digital solutions, something they’ve not previously done. (find out more here) - and this was before COVID-19. Today, given the impact of the global pandemic, using software to create person centred care plans has never been more important. 

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Digital care plans allow for:

• Remote working
• Realtime updates
• More collaboration
• Instant access (find what you need, fast)
• Personal additions
• No need to print sheets of paper (good for the environment and good for your budget!)

If you’d like to know more about digital vs paper care planning, read our in depth blog, here.

Is digital care planning software as good as paper care planning?

We get asked this question all the time, and of course we’ll always say yes. But don’t just take our word for it. Here are a few testimonials from our customers about how they’re finding using Birdie’s home care software system to create digital care planning.

A great example comes from our partner agency, Harino Care. Tracey the Registered Manager told us:

“For example one of the tasks would be a normal assist wash in the mornings, but we would make that person-centred, by saying ‘the bowl is in the kitchen, please use the yellow flannel for the top. Mrs Smith prefers to use X bubble bath’

So we can make it actually really really person-centred and the carers can see exactly what they need to do. Even if they haven’t visited the client before, they can see exactly what the client’s preferences are.

And we have those conversations with the client now, by selling Birdie to them - asking them exactly ‘how do you want this done?’ and we can put this into the system so that everybody does exactly the same thing when they visit the clients. Which is huge. It’s huge for the client.”

Harino Care

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And here are just a few more...

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“Birdie has been a timely investment for our business in light of the current crisis. I can imagine how much of a risk we would have put our staff at, handling paper and folders in a bid to record care notes. I am horrified at the thought of collecting those papers and bringing them to the office for auditing and filing. I probably would have been busy sanitising the papers, if I could find any sanitisers, that is”

Integral Care Services

“If we didn't have Birdie we would be struggling to catch up with everything, getting notes from houses and increasing risk due to Covid-19. The auditing would be a nightmare. Colleagues who have tested Birdie so far are in love with it.”

Quality Assured Care Services

"The Birdie system is so easy and logical to use, really like how easy it is to follow and works like magic! So exciting to see how it will change our processes and make it so much easier to deliver and monitor care."

Martlets Care

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Still not convinced by digital care planning software?

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Let’s talk a bit about how Birdie works.
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Birdie’s care planning tools are split into individual assessments, so you can cover all elements within your care plan, and make it really person centred. 

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Once you’ve filled out each assessment, you can then add tasks that relate to your client’s goals. You can choose these from a drop down list, and as mentioned by Tracey from Harino Care, adding additional notes means you can be really person centred. 

Plus, as these tasks will need to be checked off in your care teams’ app when they make a call, you’ll know instantly what has been completed and what hasn’t - giving you full visibility and peace of mind. 

What do the CQC think about digital care planning software?

Well, back in 2018 they published this article. In it, they speak about how digital technology can help you meet the 5 KLOEs.

They also published case studies and examples of driving innovation through technology in 2020, in this article. 

One of our partner agencies, MyHomeCare (Derby), recently had their CQC rating increased from ‘Requires improvement’ to ‘Good’ with Birdie being cited in their report. 

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“An electronic system 'Birdie' had been implemented since the last inspection. This allowed staff to log in and out of calls, complete medicine administration records electronically and daily logs. The nominated individual explained if a staff member was not at a call within 15 minutes of the scheduled call time, the office was alerted. This system allowed management to access information immediately, in an event they had a query or concern.”

Whilst the CQC do not endorse a particular or specific type of software, they are urging providers to look at digital solutions to enable the best care. Since the COVID-19 outbreak, industry bodies have been encouraging care providers to embrace the change - here's an excerpt from an article by Ian Swanson in Digitalhealth.net.

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“As a sector of more than 18,500 providers, roughly 70% of which operate their business on paper, it is not too difficult to see why it was almost impossible to build a real-time picture of what’s been happening in care homes during this terrible outbreak.

Such developments, combined with everybody’s renewed appreciation of technology, mean attitudes are changing forever. As such, now is the ideal time to create a more effective and responsive framework to care for the elderly and vulnerable.

To make our sector truly fit for purpose as we emerge from Covid-19, it is vital to begin the process of digitising residents’ care interactions and care planning, and work to create an integrated system for digital reporting.

Then this pandemic finally ends, staff and funding shortages will again become major pain points for providers. Acting now to fully digitise the sector could relieve the pressure considerably and create vital capacity.

Icon-driven apps that evidence care at the point of care have been shown to save each carer up to an hour a day in paperwork. In a sector that employs more workers than the entire NHS with an estimated workforce of 1.49 million, such additional care capacity could be truly transformational.”

You can read the full article by Ian Swanson, here. 

If you’re still not convinced, why not talk to our team about how digital care planning software from Birdie could help? With 24/7 support from our team, and a dedicated service to help create digital versions of your paper notes, making the switch to digital care planning software doesn’t need to be difficult. 

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Here are some quick links to our most popular content on person-centred care planning:

• How do you make a person centred care plan? A guide for home care from Birdie
• Person centred care planning software: what you need to know
• Examples of person centred care plans
• SMART care planning
• SMART care planning checklist
• Digital vs paper care plans: understand the benefits of using digital care plans
• 10 care planning tasks to help combat the risks of isolation
• Care planning for those at higher risk of COVID-19

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If you're thinking about going digital, read up on the benefits of digital care plans vs paper care plans, here. Find out more about person centred care planning, here or get a free SMART care plan template, here.

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