5 Ways Custom Software Can Improve the Efficiency of Your Home Care Agency

There has been a steady rise in the use of telemedicine technology in providing healthcare services. With more than half of the population in the United States having already used telemedicine to receive care, a new trend in the healthcare industry has emerged.

As many as 74% of the patients are comfortable communicating with their doctors using technology rather than an in-person visit. However, there are certain areas of care which require professional assistance. While some conditions need to be directly supervised by physicians, doctors, or surgeons, there are certain care services that can be given by nurses and other healthcare professionals.

And to bridge that gap between healthcare organizations and patients, home care agencies come into the picture. Since every home care agency has a wide network of hospitals and patients that they serve, sticking to a generic home care agency software solution is simply hectic, time-consuming, and less efficient.

That has become one of the major reasons why home care service providers are turning to custom home care software development . It is not only an effective tool to improve efficiency but also acts as a one-stop solution for all aspects and intricacies of home care services.

In this blog, we’ll oversee the five ways in which custom home care software can help your home care agency improve its efficiency and effectiveness.

Streamlined Scheduling and Dispatch

One of the major problems that many home care agencies face is with appointment scheduling and the dispatch process to provide care services. Here, the custom home care software for patient management can automate and streamline the scheduling and dispatch process.

For instance, when a patient schedules an appointment for services, the custom home care software would smartly schedule the visit of the care provider based on their availability, geographical proximity, and relevant experience required to provide the necessary service.

Along with that, real-time updates to the entire care team—caregivers, patients, home care agencies, and providers—with automated notifications would improve collaboration and enhance the care journey. This also includes any changes that are made in the care plans and the type of home care service provided, which will be directly reflected in the electronic health records in real-time.

In this way, the custom home care software optimized the routes for the care providers, allowing them to manage their schedules according to the patient schedules and minimize the travel time for caregivers, allowing them to spend more time with patients and not conduct administrative tasks.

Enhanced Communication and Collaboration

Communication and collaboration are one of the major aspects of care delivery in-home care services. While it looks easy on paper, in reality, it is quite irritating for all the parties involved. Proper communication between caregivers, patients, and office staff would not only enhance efficiency but also ensure that the proper care is provided to the patient at the right time.

Let’s try to understand this scenario with the help of an example and how custom home care software can help in this. Suppose a nurse is using the software and sends a secure message to the entire care team, including the physician, patient’s family, and home care agency, updating them about the progress and the care provided to them. Wouldn’t it make the care journey easy for the patient, while keeping everyone in loop with the developments?

Taking consultations a step further, home care software integration with telehealth would enable the patient or provider to discuss care and treatment plans beforehand. In this way, by enhancing communication and collaboration between the care team members, custom home care software enhances the care journey for everyone involved.

Improved communication and collaboration lead to improved patient health outcomes and also reduce caregiver turnover. Along with that, it also helps the administrative department to manage visits and billings more efficiently and accurately.

Improved Documentation and Record-Keeping

Another problem that many home care agencies struggle with is documentation and record keeping. While in a traditional setting, it seems easy, the lack of transparency often leads to complications in care delivery and also in billing.

On the other hand, custom home care software comes with a feature called ‘Electronic Visit Verification,’ simply known as EVV. This feature not only brings transparency in the process of home care delivery but is also a step to improve documentation and record keeping.

Let’s explore how home care software customizations help in improving documentation and record-keeping. For example, when the nurse reaches the patient’s house, EVV is used to record her clock-in and clock-out time. Apart from that, the nurse needs to document every service that they are providing on the home care mobile app; this can involve dosages, routine checks, and also time. This is then verified by the care manager after OASIS assessment and the entire episode of care is reflected directly in patient EHR.

At the same time wearable device integration with your custom home care software will also....Click here to learn more