There are four general scenarios that motivate home care agencies to start a search for home care management software:
- You might be setting up a home care business for the first time and want to start with a digital solution
- You are have an existing agency and want to move from paper-based processes
- You have recently had a “requires improvement” CQC inspection and know that improved digital record keeping will help your future compliance (and you know that the government wants 80% of registered providers to have digital social care records by March 2024)
- You have some software in place but it’s no longer fit for purpose and you feel you will get better value for money or improved functionality with something else.
Whatever the reason it is important to consider a wide range of features to help you manage your business effectively.
Cost is often one of the first things to ask about but you’ll want to weigh that up against the breadth of features, how easy they are to use and how much time you will save with your chosen solution.
Be wary too of making assumptions that every system labelled as “all-in-one” really does do everything well. Check that any aspect of particular importance to you works the way you need it to.
Ask for a demonstration of each of these areas:
- Rostering capacity
- Unplanned visit flexibility
- Up-to-date client/service user information
- Carer leave and availability tracking
- Ability to calculate holiday entitlement for carers with irregular hours (that is in line with the recent Supreme Court Ruling)
- Synchronisation with Google Maps for efficient journey planning between clients and automated mileage reporting
- Real-time call monitoring
- Carer app for phone access that also allows offline access
- Access to your care environment and care records in real time anywhere on any internet-enabled device
- eMar – updatable, trackable, downloadable, printable
- Observations and care notes – recording health and welfare metrics
- Care planning
- Email and dashboard alerts for late or missed visits, or medication
- Task completion via app with comments and even photos (securely stored in your online environment and never on the carer’s device)
- GPS and QR code verified carer check-in and check-out
- CQC compliance tools including customisable forms for audits, risk assessments, incident reporting and care plans
- Reporting – insights and data to improve processes and compliance
- Carer and client reviews
- Automated invoicing and payroll
- Flexible client and carer contract configuration
- Split billing for part private/part funded service users
- Communication functionality for friends and family – e.g. a care circle portal
- Emergency services one time access
- Client assessment templates
- eSignatures
- Document storage (service user medical reports, assessments, carer qualifications)
- Review reminder (training, certification)
- Cloud-based hosting that enables real-time data sync and accessed via a browser from any internet-connected device anywhere anytime
- Scalability – software that can grow with your business
- Integration with other third party software
- Data security and privacy
- The option of managed handsets
- Onboarding training
- Ongoing support
- All-in-one solution or will you need to use additional software for some aspects such as rostering?
- Cost – Is the software priced at a fee per carer or per service user or per office administrator user? Is there an additional fee for office staff and are there any extra costs for additional functionality?
- Clear and fair contract terms and conditions
We’re confident that CareLineLive stands up pretty well under all the above criteria and scrutiny. Get in touch for a product demo or to ask further questions.
