Aged Care eConnect
Clinical IT in Aged Care
What is the Clinical IT in Aged Care Project?
These links provide further information about activities
The Clinical IT in Aged Care project is examining ways to improve the quality of aged care delivery through the use of IT.
During the first phase of the project, preliminary research was undertaken to identify a range of IT applications or tools used in aged care homes, as well as clinical IT applications or tools used in acute, primary and community based settings, that may be adapted for use in Australian aged care homes.
An Interim Report, July 2003 was published detailing the outcomes of the research findings.
Subsequently, the project implemented a number of recommendations from the research findings and a Learning’s to Date report is expected to be available later in the year.
Product Trials
The Department funded five trials to examine the potential benefits of clinical IT applications in residential aged care. The trials introduced technology into aged care settings either through development of new technology or modification of technology used in other areas of the health sector. The trials were selected on the basis of their potential to provide benefits and learnings relevant to the Clinical IT in Aged Care project, not as an endorsement of the specific products.An essential component of the Product Trials was an evaluation of their ability to assist in the delivery of care for residents, technical capacity and user satisfaction, affordability and effectiveness in improving quality of care.
The outcomes of the product trials are available below for download:
- Clinical Monitoring
- Electronic Prescribing
- Pressure Ulcer Management
- Medication Management
- Incontinence Management
Case Studies
A series of case studies have been produced which provide information about the experiences of aged care staff in the implementation of technology, the processes involved, some of the challenges and issues and the benefits.The case studies demonstrate that accurate data collection and sharing of clinical information can result in less duplication of effort, time savings and improved care.
The use of the IT products in these case studies should not be taken as an endorsement of the products by the Australian Government Department of Health & Ageing.
Details of the case studies are available on the Case Study page.
IT Readiness Survey
The capacity of the aged care industry to use information technology was examined recently through the 2006 IT Readiness of the Aged Care Sector survey.The findings of the 2006 survey are available from the IT Surveys page.
