7 homecare software management tools for your agency

There are a wealth of homecare software tools designed to help make your homecare business more effective - but which ones should you really be using?

If you run a domiciliary care business, you’ll know that delivering the best care means making the most of the limited time you have. Between audits, rostering, staffing problems and complex care needs, it can feel like you’re juggling a million things at once.

That’s where home care software comes in - helping make your agency more efficient so you can spend more time on the things that matter. 

But, with so much choice, how do you know which software is right for you? To make it easier for you, we’ve made a list of the top six digital tools that your domiciliary care agency should consider…

Homecare software to develop your agency

An important question the CQC will ask is “How does the service make sure that there are sufficient numbers of suitable staff to support people to stay safe and meet their needs?” 

With a  homecare software in place, it’s easy to keep track of your staff, their holidays, absences and make sure that all of your shifts are covered. Birdie integrates with  CarePlanner and Cold Harbour, so you can choose the right one to suit you and use Birdie’s home care software seamlessly alongside.

Carer app for your homecare software

A great way to make sure that your care is being delivered as planned is through a bespoke app that allows carers to log their visits, leave notes and work through tasks. The Birdie Pro Carer App is designed to make it easy for your carers to do just that. With customisable task plans that you can set up quickly, eMAR and a place to record your client’s personal profile, Birdie gives your carers all they need to complete every visit with confidence. And, as Birdie feeds back every visit directly to you, in real-time, you’ll always be in control and you can audit everything in realtime.

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eMAR

“How does the provider ensure the proper and safe use of medicines?” is another routine question your inspector will ask. There are plenty of tools offering eMAR, all with various features and functions. The first thing to consider is safety. MAR sheets hold sensitive patient information about their medications and conditions, — which you need to ensure are kept safe.

Using a paper MAR chart means there’s a higher margin for error; illegible handwriting or rushed notes could end up causing problems which could impact your client’s health. Moving to eMAR reduces those risks. Birdie’s eMAR has been designed to be safe, easy to use and reduce your risks. Check out our ‘5 questions to ask before moving to eMAR’ and discover what makes Birdie’s eMAR so unique. 

Family access

Families and loved ones have an important part to play in care delivery. With Birdie, you can keep everyone in the loop and offer peace of mind 24/7 - with just a few taps they can log in to the Family App and see how their loved one is getting on, whenever, wherever.

Third-party access

Sometimes, you might need to share patient notes or MAR charts with external sources — like in the unfortunate event of an emergency, or with a district nurse or GP. Birdie offers a secure way to access care information (everything from care logs to observations and eMAR) so that everyone involved in the care of your client can make the right decisions, based on the right information. 

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Call monitoring

Call monitoring is a homecare software's essential tool for Care Managers. Allowing you to see when and where a carer checks in and out of a visit, you’ll always know they’re safe, and that their visits are being carried out as planned. 

Birdie offers two different types of secure and precise call monitoring; GPS check-in and one-time-password check-in, giving you the confidence to know that everything is going well. 

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Alerts

If you rely on month-end audits, you’re missing out on crucial information that could change the way you deliver your care. Home care software that comes integrated with an alert system, like Birdie, is a great way to minimise your risks and make sure you’re always in control. 

If there’s a concern, your staff have the ability to immediately raise an alert, so you can act fast. Plus, Birdie’s Alert Inbox helps you prioritise alerts such as concerns, medication issues, check-in mishaps... so you’re always a step ahead.

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Want to know more about Birdie? Arrange a free demo and we’ll walk you through how our care management software could benefit your agency. 

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