Embracing digital tech can help you navigate aged care reform

Has your organisation had a busy time of late, striving to implement the aged care reforms that came into effect on 1 November 2025? 

If you answered yes, you’re far from alone. 

The new rights-based Aged Care framework is aimed at ensuring the system that supports more than a million senior Australians is fit for purpose, accessible and delivers high quality care, in both in-home and residential settings. 

It’s a step change that has placed the onus on aged care providers to not only be compliant but to be able to demonstrate they’re doing it, every day and in every way. 

Against this backdrop, building a high calibre team of qualified workers is a critical imperative. So is producing thorough documentation on a host of operational matters, including staff qualifications and staffing ratios, care minutes for residents and incident management.

Tackling today’s challenges with yesterday’s technology

Maintaining enhanced standards of accountability is no easy undertaking. It can be even more challenging in the absence of the right tools – namely, integrated digital platforms and programs that promote visibility and transparency right across the organisation.

Unfortunately, many aged care providers don’t have these tools. Early adopters of emerging technologies have always been in short supply in this sector, as have the requisite funds to invest in cutting-edge platforms and programs.

Historically, implementing software reactively, rather than pursuing holistic IT strategies, was the norm, with point solutions rolled out as issues arose.

It’s a modus operandi that has left some aged care providers using and maintaining as many as 20 standalone software packages, some of them impossible to integrate and expensive to support. 

Putting a solid core of solutions in place

If this sounds familiar, you’ve a strong case for change – and for viewing the reforms to the aged care system as a catalyst for doing things differently and better on the IT front.

That includes replacing spreadsheets and end-of-life solutions with cloud- based platforms that minimise repetitive manual tasks and enhance productivity and visibility.

Chief among these should be a care management solution that stores client data – personal information, individual care plans and medication schedules – in a single, secure repository.

Providers can also benefit from a workforce management solution that accommodates round-the-clock shift patterns and rosters, and tracks employees’ education and certification statuses, to ensure there are sufficient skilled workers on every shift.

Selecting a solution that allows workers to ‘self-serve’ – swapping shifts, submitting leave requests and seeking information on their entitlements online – is empowering for staff and a serious time saver for hard pressed human capital management teams.

Ideally, care and workforce management platforms should also be integrated with a financial solution that makes it possible to track outgoings in granular detail and maintain up-to-the minute visibility of the organisation’s financial position.

And, with the implementation of robust feedback loops mandated in the recent reforms, a dedicated incident management and feedback platform can enable providers to fulfil their reporting obligations and improve the standard of service they deliver to clients.

Seeking expert assistance

Upgrading and optimising the platforms and programs you use to run your organisation can be difficult, particularly if you’re a smaller provider that maintains a skeleton ICT team or relies on a local firm for basic break-fix support.

Seeking professional advice at the outset, from an experienced consultancy with deep knowledge of the aged care sector, the legislation it’s governed by, and the specialist solutions available in market, can help you define your requirements and develop a roadmap that will get you where you want to go.

Choose one that has a proven track record for helping aged care providers boost efficiency and accountability and you’ll stand the best chance of uplifting your operations and team and getting value for money from any investment you make in digital technologies.

Helping build a better aged care system for Australia

A well-managed aged care system is one of the pillars upon which a healthy society is built. Ensuring they’re compliant with recent reforms and delivering the best possible support to the people in their care is an imperative for all providers operating in the sector.

Harnessing the power of automated digital solutions can help your organisation achieve these ends efficiently and cost effectively. A commitment to being part of a stronger, safer system, means using the right technology to help you optimise every aspect of your operations.

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Bart Thomas is Principal – Automation, and Christine Davis is a specialist consultant, at Customer Science.