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Aged Care eConnect

Clinical IT in Aged Care Product Trial - Trial of a System for Monitoring Clinical Well-Being - Report

Telecare is a mobile point-of-care device which monitors and records data on residents’ wellbeing, e.g. pulse, ECG, blood pressure, weight and lung function. The data is then available for care planning and medication management purposes in a secure form that is accessible to authorised care providers within or remote from the home.

Why the need for a trial?
How the technology is being applied?
Potential benefits
Project evaluation
Consortium members
Amount funded
Outcomes

Presentation by Professor Branko Celler 4 May 2005 (PDF 355 KB)

If you are having problems downloading this PDF file please send an email to: acc@health.gov.au for a copy to be sent to you.

Why the need for a trial?

With increasing demands to exchange clinical information with a range of authorised care providers it is becoming more important for residential aged care homes to develop their capability to gather, use and pass on clinical information to authorised care providers more effectively than the current, predominantly manual practice of monitoring clinical status allows. Simple recordings such as heart rate, blood pressure and weight, when graphed over time and viewed in conjunction with other information such as current medications can help GPs and aged care staff to rapidly identify and manage significant changes in clinical status with an end result of improving the quality, timeliness and appropriateness of clinical care.

How the technology is being applied?

This trial involves the use of simple, mobile devices to monitor and electronically record the clinical well-being of residents (e.g. pulse, ECG, blood pressure, weight, lung function etc), to capture the results of health questionnaires and assessments, and to securely store and present this information in a range of easily digestible formats for residents, aged care staff and for health care providers who are located remotely from the home. The information forms the basis of an electronic health record that will assist in care planning and medication management. The trial is being conducted in 5 homes in 3 states (ACT, NSW and VIC) and involves approximately 75 residents.
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Potential benefits

Quality of Care

• Improved monitoring, documentation and clinical management of residents
• Increased treatment compliance by residents and staff due to increased understanding of the effectiveness of treatment
• Enhanced communication with GPs assisting in more timely review of care and medication orders in conjunction with evidence of clinical status
• Informed development of care plans and documented care

Other

• Stimulate consideration of the role of longitudinal Electronic Health Records, evidence based medicine and GP linkages in aged care

Project evaluation

The trial includes independent evaluation of the performance, effectiveness and user response to the clinical monitoring system, its impact on the quality of care for residents and will assess related information security, confidentiality and consent issues.

Consortium members

Laboratory for Health Telematics – University of NSW
MedCare Systems Pty Ltd
A/Prof. Marc Budge – ANU and Canberra Hospital
Dr Gideon Caplan – UNSW and Prince of Wales Hospital
Uniting Care – Mirinjani Village (ACT),
Goodwin Aged Care Services Inc (Ainslie, ACT),
Montefiore Homes (Hunters Hill and Maroubra NSW),
Ardmillan Place (Essendon, VIC)

Amount funded

$302,500 (including GST)

Outcomes

The outcomes of the product trial are available for download.
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