What is care management software?

"What is care management software? How can care management software help my business? What is the best domiciliary care management software?"

If you’ve asked yourself any of the above questions, you’re in the right place. In this article, we’ll explain precisely what care management software is, which systems are best for domiciliary care and the benefits for your business.  

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First of all, let’s start with the basics:

What is a care management software system?

Care management systems have many different names, depending on who you talk to. The CQC likes to call them digital records systems; some people call them care plan management systems or digital care planning tools and don’t forget that home care apps are also a form of care management software.

But don’t worry, it’s not as confusing as it seems. Most care management systems cover five key areas:

1. eMAR, or medication management
2. Digital care planning tools
3. Call monitoring 
4. Scheduling or rostering
5. HR and compliance

Not every domiciliary care software system will include all of the above areas - and if you find one that does, it doesn’t necessarily mean it’s the best system available - and often, all-in-one systems are more expensive. Many software systems (like Birdie) will integrate with others, so you can build a bespoke system that’s perfect for your business, without needing to pay for the extras you don’t need. 

What does a care management system do?

Most care management systems, like Birdie, have been designed to allow you to digitise your processes, reduce errors and share information quickly. Care management sytems allow you to digitise your paper notes and see them instantly, which means no more printing, storing and collecting notes. 

How could care management software help your business?

Birdie partners have told us that they save up to 10 hours a week, and on average, £20,000 per year, (you can see how much you could save with our interactive calculator, here).

By honing in on the areas that take the most time for care managers, like month-end auditing, driving to collect paper comms sheets and printing care plans and MAR charts, digital software systems can eliminate the paperwork burden. 

Care staff also feel the benefits, as instead of scribbling notes, they can make notes as they go, raise alerts that office staff can see instantly and even use voice-to-text dictation to record their observations. 

Future-proofing your business with care management software

The CQC, industry leaders and the government are pushing for digitalisation in the health and social care space. When confronted with a global pandemic at the beginning of 2020, the need for more streamlined communication was made even more apparent, and new models of tech-enabled care are forming as a result. 

Speaking at a roundtable event held by Birdie in October 2020, Dominique Kent, Chief Operating Officer of Sodexo's home care services and Chair of the United Kingdom Homecare Association (UKHCA), shared how her tech-enabled system at The Good Care Group has managed to:

• reduce the risk of falling by 76% 
• reduce pressure sore rates by 89%, 
• and reduce the rate of emergency response for UTIs by 68%. 

These kinds of results directly impact the NHS’ Long Term Plan to focus on preventative healthcare - and if home care businesses, empowered by care management systems, can help achieve these results, it’s a step in the right direction to ensure future longevity. 

Ready to explore the care management software systems for your domiciliary care business?

For a more in-depth look at Birdie’s care management software and home care app, why not arrange a care consultation with one of our care consultants? You can book a convenient time here. 

Want to learn more about care management software? You might find the following articles useful:

• Best domiciliary home care software for 2021: how to choose
• How digital care management software can help you meet CQC guidance
• eMAR: which electronic medication tracking systems are best for home care?
• Domiciliary care software: 5 ways it can benefit your home care agency
• 7 essential home care software management tools for your business