Care Response is a well-respected domiciliary care provider with an established reputation amongst carers, clients and other health practices. As a private company, its care workers work closely with clients to offer a flexible service, tailored to suit its client’s individual needs. As part of its strategy to continue to improve the independence and safety of those who require domiciliary care, while also increasing care workers efficiency and ‘time to care’, Care Response identified the need to introduce a system which reduces administration time and creates greater contact time with the client.
Care Response currently use a pen and paper system to record care visits, client welfare and general activity, but this is a lengthy process. The Karantis360 solution revolutionises this process, reducing the time required to document details and improving the accuracy of reports. Having the option to speak into the app in order to log details and unique aspects of the visit inspires care workers to provide more detailed reports. The information is also immediate rather than subject to the traditional reporting processes.
Paula Eagle, Quality Assurance Manager at Care Response, comments: “On average we spend around 5% of a visit filling out report sheets. We must document everything we do, which can be very time consuming and takes you away from the client. The introduction of an electronic system gives us the opportunity to provide reliable, real-time information that is easily accessible”.
This transparency and support are not only key for the care workers, but for the clients and their families. Often family members are geographically removed from their loved one, which is why it is vital to keep them updated on the care the client is receiving. Paula comments: “As a lot of families don’t always have the time to visit, it is really important that we can give them the visibility to see when our carers have been to visit their loved ones and give them specific details, for example if they’ve had a good night’s sleep: if they’ve been anywhere that day etc. By logging into the app, family members are able to view photographs, read updates and monitor their loved ones care more closely; it really gives them peace of mind that their relatives are being well looked after.
“We also have the added value of IoT. Sensors can be strategically placed within a client’s home to give us a better understanding of what happens when our carers are not there. We are able to understand a client’s movements and monitor them in an unobtrusive manner, whilst gaining valuable insight into the client’s needs, this is especially helpful when a client has a condition that affects them day to day. We will then use this data to make recommendations on treatment or if a care plan needs to be changed. With clever ‘learned behaviour patterns’ we begin to get a very clear picture of the client’s needs.”
Creating a strong staff support structure is also important, particularly as this is an industry that is currently facing well-documented resource challenges. Care plans are constantly changing as the clients need change and emergencies occur, therefore the ability to view a real-time plan that is always current saves valuable admin time across the whole organisation. And as Paula confirms, the Karantis360 system will instil a new level of confidence in the care workers. “Our timesheets are on the app and can be altered as changes happen. The messaging facility enables care workers to update others about a client and their specific needs, for example new medication that they might be taking. It is a simple and effective way of reducing risks, saving time and costs.” All of the information is stored safely in the cloud in one central, secure hub, making it easier to access, refer to, amend and delete when needed.
Paula concludes; “With all this in mind, it is safe to say Karantis360 will prove to be a great solution for us. Its easy to use application not only benefits our team but will improve the service our clients and their families receive. While we are still in the early stages of using the system, we are looking forward to working with Karantis360 further to see how we can continue to enhance our services and help all involved.”
Helen Dempster, Chief Visionary Officer of Karantis360 concludes: “Working with the team at Care Response has been a really valuable experience. Allowing clients to live in their own homes, safe in the knowledge that help will be there, is of utmost importance to us and it is clear that this is vital to Care Response as well. Their willingness to share their use of Karantis360 goes a long way to show the professionalism and care they provide. Our tools will not only minimise admin time but will ensure clients are supported and cared for and that their families are part of the process too.”
