As a care home owner or manager, you know that the technology you use to support your residents and staff is critical to the safety and quality of care you provide. But with so many moving parts, it can be challenging to keep track of what's working, what needs maintenance and upgrades, and what needs to be replaced. A self-audit of your care technology is essential to ensure that it meets the needs of your home, staff, and residents. In this guide, we break it down into five simple steps to help you get started.

Step 1: Assess the Current Situation

Take a close look at your current care technology infrastructure. Do you have a full nurse call system, and how old is it? Are there any issues with it, and how many different manufacturers do you use? Check for any damaged equipment and make note of the number of devices you have for floor mats and staff tracking. Consider how you handle calls, whether it's through pagers or mobile devices, and whether your system is hardwired or wireless. Don't forget to evaluate your digital care records and whether they are integrated into your nurse call system.

Step 2: Evaluate Staff and Resident Safety

Ensure your staff and residents are safe and secure by assessing whether you have a staff attack system in place and functional. Check that your security cameras are working and optimally placed throughout the home. Make sure your home has WiFi and a reliable telephone system. Consider what your nurse call backup plan is if the WiFi goes down, and how you make sure staff are visible, especially at night.

Step 3: Review Your Digital Care Strategy

The implementation of electronic systems within care homes and eMAR has become widespread with benefits such as efficient record keeping and greater flexibility.  Evaluate your digital care strategy and review how your care management systems integrate and sync with other essential technological parts of the workflow around the home. Ensure you examine whether the administration of medication, health assessments, and GP visits are being documented with excellence.

Step 4: Explore Innovative Care Technologies

Once you have reviewed your existing digital systems and identified potential problem areas, take time to explore what technologies can improve your staff's efficiency, residents' safety, and overall care quality. Some examples include remote monitoring technologies, sensor-based automation, and location management applications. This could also include wearables and IoT systems.

Step 5: Maintain Oversight Across Multiple Locations

If your care home has multiple locations, ensure that you have a way to maintain oversight over all of them. This could include using remote monitoring technologies, having clear reporting systems from each location, having a cloud-based management platform, or even having a trusted supplier for integrating all your care technology needs and providing a single source of truth. It's essential to have a consistent approach across all your locations and to ensure your staff can receive the same quality and safety standards no matter where they are.

To conclude, a self-audit of your care technology is a fundamental and proactive step in operating an efficient and safe care home. By following the five simple steps outlined above, you can ensure that your technology infrastructure is working and that your staff and residents are safe and secure. Don't forget to explore innovative solutions and maintain oversight across multiple locations to promote continuous improvement, always striving towards delivering exceptional care.

You can also download a detailed questionnaire to help you assess and evidence the efficiency of your nurse call system and care technologies.