The future is bright for Aged Care providers that nail digital transformation. Baby boomers are ageing rapidly and over the next two decades the growth of those aged 65+ will occur at twice the rate of the general population (ABS 2014).
Changes to industry funding have given older Australians greater choice and say in what providers they choose to engage. In short, patients and residents are quickly becoming customers, and progressive organisations will take advantage of this to find more opportunities to grow.
Digital transformation of core IT infrastructure is a critical step for providers who want to effectively manage the complex care needs of a growing number of older Australians. Industry bodies have encouraged providers and governments to develop a roadmap for the sector that addresses ICT capability gaps and trials alternative approaches to aged care.
The Aged Care Industry Information Technology Council (ACIITC) have subsequently identified five priorities of digital transformation:
1. eHealth systems
2.Telehealth and mobility services
3. Care management systems
4. Management information and reporting
5. Core technology and support
In 2014 the ACIITC and Accenture identified the greatest challenge for digital transformation in the sector as budgetary restraints and affordability. Since then, the maturing of ICT managed services has helped address the problem by enabling businesses to reduce the burden of owning and operating IT.
Here at Enablis, we are already working with clients like The Benevolent Society, Bupa and SummitCare to deliver on digital transformation while reducing their total cost of ownership and operational expenses.
We’ve found that both mid-size and large providers are looking to be liberated from their legacy systems and work with partners that are supportive and flexible. Nailing digital transformation is about having ICT in a state of scalable ‘enablement’ whereby providers can deploy disruptive technologies and applications securely, on any device.
The timing has never been better as managed IT communications providers carve out a path of possibilities for the unique requirements of the Aged Care Industry.
– Jon Evans, CEO Enablis