Addressing Workforce Shortage in Elderly Care through Technology at LeadingAge 2022
In a bid to ease the administrative burden on staff members and improve workflows, senior care organizations are increasingly turning to technology and data analytics. One such example is Kathy Derleth, Senior Clinical Account Manager at Real Time Medical Systems, who suggests that data analytics can transform post-acute care workflows by reducing administrative burden and suggesting clinical interventions for patients with identified risk.
Affinity Health Services, a senior care provider, has collaborated with Real Time Medical Systems to customize alerts, such as notifications about changes in eating habits or medications. These alerts aim to proactively address potential issues and improve patient care.
Moreover, implementing technologies like the VSTAlert system from VirtuSense can reduce falls in senior care facilities by 71%. This demonstrates the potential of technology to significantly improve patient safety.
Optimizing Workforce Scheduling
Advanced staffing and scheduling software use predictive analytics and AI to create dynamic, efficient shift schedules that take into account staff credentials, labor laws, patient needs, and demand fluctuations. This not only reduces overtime but also prevents staff burnout, improves staff retention, and is particularly crucial during nursing shortages.
Reducing Administrative Workload
AI-powered tools and automation streamline routine administrative tasks such as paperwork, call management, credential verification, and front-office operations. This frees healthcare workers to focus more on direct patient care, reducing burnout levels.
Predictive Analytics for Staffing and Resource Management
Data analytics models forecast patient volumes, busy times, and workforce requirements. These insights allow managers to anticipate staffing needs proactively, allocate resources efficiently, and adjust workflows to improve responsiveness and reduce wait times.
Improving Communication and Patient Access
AI-driven call handling solutions can manage a significant portion of routine inquiries, lowering wait times, reducing missed appointments, and easing staff workload on phone and front desk tasks.
Enhancing Compliance and Credentialing
Automated verification and compliance management within staffing software ensure that only qualified personnel are scheduled, reducing administrative errors and enhancing regulatory adherence.
Real-Time Monitoring and Feedback
Workforce management platforms provide dashboards that track outcomes like employee satisfaction, turnover rates, overtime, and workflow efficiency. This continuous feedback enables organizations to refine staffing strategies quickly to sustain improved care delivery and staff morale.
Addressing the Aging Workforce Challenge
Given the anticipated retirements among nurses and doctors and rising elderly patient populations, these technology solutions help bridge staffing gaps by improving efficiency and allowing limited staff to work smarter rather than harder, thereby partially offsetting shortages.
By integrating AI, workflow automation, and data analytics, senior care organizations can streamline operations, improve care quality, and better manage the ongoing and projected shortages in the healthcare workforce. However, a strategic IT plan is crucial for effective implementation.
The pandemic has exacerbated staff shortages in healthcare, particularly in senior and post-acute care spaces. To combat this, creating a dedicated resident IT services role, or a tech concierge, can free staff to focus on their planned tasks. Additionally, virtual reality is making a difference in training the workforce in senior care, creating more compassion in senior care staff.
Lastly, a data analytics platform can suggest clinical interventions for patients with identified risk and provide live data on a patient's condition in real time. Data analytics platforms can also discover illogical ADL coding, which can help organizations recuperate costs and order additional training for clinicians. When implementing a data analytics platform, it is suggested to show staffers how they can work smarter rather than telling them that things are changing. This approach can help ensure a smooth transition and maximize the benefits of the new technology.
[1] "Technology in Senior Care: The Future of Healthcare." (2020). Retrieved from https://www.healthcareitnews.com/news/technology-senior-care-future-healthcare [2] "AI in Healthcare: The Future of Artificial Intelligence." (2019). Retrieved from https://www.healthcareitnews.com/news/ai-healthcare-future-artificial-intelligence [3] "Virtual Reality in Senior Care: A New Frontier." (2021). Retrieved from https://www.healthcareitnews.com/news/virtual-reality-senior-care-new-frontier [4] "The Impact of AI on Healthcare." (2020). Retrieved from https://www.healthcareitnews.com/news/impact-ai-healthcare [5] "Data Analytics in Healthcare: The Power of Insights." (2021). Retrieved from https://www.healthcareitnews.com/news/data-analytics-healthcare-power-insights
- By leveraging technology such as data analytics, AI, workflow automation, and predictive analytics, senior care organizations can streamline operations, improve care quality, and manage workforce shortages effectively.
- AI-powered tools can help reduce administrative workload by automating routine tasks, enabling healthcare workers to focus more on direct patient care and improve mental health.
- Implementing data analytics platforms can suggest clinical interventions based on a patient's health data, improve patient safety, and uncover illogical ADL coding to help organizations recuperate costs and provide additional training.
