Best uses for a mobile app in care delivery

These days its a must for a clinical management system to provide mobile access. 

Here we've collated our top five cases where a mobile app shines in enhancing care.

Communicate in real time

Mobile apps facilitate instant communication between staff, whether they are working under one roof or delivering care and services out in the field.

Messaging between staff allows them to remain up to date on organisation-wide occurrences, whether these be related to residents, internal meetings, training sessions etc. 

Some clinical systems, like AutumnCare, also utilise automated messages.

These are created to alert staff to clinical changes such as:

• A new Incident Form being created 
• An update being made to a care plan 
• A PRN being administered to a resident 

This ensures that the relevant staff are aware that documentation needs to be completed and that follow ups are scheduled as required.

Managers can then create and assign tasks from their mobile device to ensure that clinical process is followed with efficiency and accuracy. 

Capture admission details

A mobile app allows staff to capture comprehensive information at the point of care.

This is particularly useful when admitting people to home care services, where the care recipient will be remaining in their own home. 

Staff are able to capture admission details and an initial clinical status in direct consultation with the care recipient, as well as a rich life history and information pertaining to their likes, dislikes, abilities and interests. 

All of this information enables staff to schedule care to be delivered that is personalised and in accordance with the person's needs and preferences. 

Deliver personalised care

Once information on a person's care needs and preferences is documented in AutumnCare, a corresponding care plan is produced to ensure staff are able to deliver care accordingly. 

A mobile app enables staff to access these care plans directly from the point of care, whether this is in the person's home or at the bedside. 

This eliminates the need for staff to try to remember what they read off their desktop before attending to the individual, or to print off reams of paper care plans to take with them.

Upload wound photos 

Providing wound care becomes much simpler with a mobile app.

Wounds need to be managed with regular cleaning and dressing changes.

These wound reviews need to be documented and photographed from week to week to evidence healing at it progresses.

A mobile app not only allows staff to input details on the wound into the assessment on the go, but also allows them to photograph the wound straight from the mobile device. 

This makes wound care easy and efficient for all involved.

It also facilitates transparency whereby Managers can easily check in a wounds progress from their device at any time.

Encourage frequent note taking

Care staff document more case notes when they have the ability to take notes on the go, rather than having to recall information once they have returned to the nurses station.

This results in more notes being recorded for each care recipient.

It also results in a higher degree of accuracy as notes are being documented as they happen rather than after the fact, or at the end of a long shift.