Roll With The Punches’ Of Digital Care Management

Before becoming an everyLIFER nearly three years ago, I spent much of my time in banks, driving change initiatives in how software was built and deployed. All the banks loved the idea of improving through change, but what they didn’t like quite so much was the temporary upheaval that came with that change.

I suspect the same is true of many care businesses that see the need to embrace digital care management. In this post, I’d like to share some of my change-transformation experience and observations I’ve made to help you along the way. I would like to impart my knowledge by means of a story using our imaginary friend Bob and through the medium of song titles.

Bridge Over Troubled Water

Let’s start with Bob. He’d been happy for years in the knowledge that he was doing things right when suddenly, he noticed a change in the landscape of care. Costs were rising and important care data, like the MAR charts or assessments, were spread all over the place. There was so much paperwork that Bob didn’t even know where to start looking for the information he needed! He realised that his business was having trouble keeping up with the growth he’d worked so hard to achieve and that it might be time for a much-needed change.

Lesson #1: Be honest with yourself and consider implementing digital care management software that could help your business continue to thrive in the changing landscape. Sometimes change is essential in adapting to survive the rivers of pain that could wash you away.

Helplessly Hoping

At this point, Bob had two options for his business; change or get swept away. He began to think that perhaps all this stuff would just sort itself out? Maybe the government would ban end-of-month paperwork and there would be more hours in the day to deliver care? However, Bob had seen others in his industry succeeding through the adoption of digital care management and he realised that the time for wishful thinking had long passed. It was time to bounce back to reality. He’d read the case studies and some of his network had already dipped their toes into the world of digital care. He dreamt of the kind of success they enjoyed. He made the decision that his business would transform from a paper caterpillar into a digital butterfly.

Lesson #2: At this stage, making a conscious decision to change, to grow, to be better with the help of a system that suits your business is the first step in the journey to success. No half-way houses. As Yoda said, “Do, or do not, there is no try”.

Brand New Day

So, Bob did a bit of research and adopted a new digital care management system that suits his business. The office has had training and all the carers are now set up to use their smartphones to deliver care. Care receivers have had their assessments and care plans have been uploaded. Now there’s no turning back.

Lesson #3: Make a plan! Who will do what and when will they do it? Fail to plan, plan to fail.

River Deep, Mountain High

It turns out Bob’s plan is harder to stick to than he thought. He is reminded of Helmuth von Moltke the Elder who said, “No plan survives first contact with the enemy”. For Bob, those “enemies” are continuing to deliver care, running the business while also changing the business and persuading others that this is a good idea and worth the effort. The good news is that this is all part of the journey. As Churchill advised, “When you’re going through hell, keep going”. Bob made sure he had good training, support from successful transformers in his network and the backing of a company that held his hand and helped steer him through those deep, deep rivers.

Lesson #4: When things don’t go to plan, they should almost be part of the plan! Accept it. Expect it. Having all bases covered with a solid contingency plan will leave you safe in the knowledge that even when things go wrong, they can still be right.

Celebrate Good Times!

It took some effort but, finally, Bob’s done it! He learnt a lot of things along the way. If he could do it again, he’d do it differently, but he doesn’t have to because he’s now a fully paid-up member of the modern age. He had a ‘Go-live’ party to celebrate the success in implementing digital care management. His team even laughed about all their war stories – something they certainly weren’t doing two weeks earlier. He’s also found a place for his certificate and hung it proudly on the wall for all to see. Now everyone will know he didn’t quit – he won.

Lesson #5: It’s worth the pain to be successful. With all essential information in one place, Bob can view care as it’s being delivered so he is kept up-to-date every step of the way. This leaves him more time for other important tasks and his carers more time to deliver the best quality of care.

To summarise, change transformation is essentially:

  1. Recognising the need to change
  2. Committing to the change
  3. Expecting and rolling with the inevitable punches
  4. And finally, winning

This blog was brought to you by the following songs:
Van Morrison – Roll With The Punches
Simon & Garfunkel – Bridge Over Troubled Water
Crosby, Stills & Nash – Helplessly Hoping
Sting – Brand New Day
Ike & Tina Turner – River Deep Mountain High
Kool & The Gang – Celebration

By David Raine, Chief Operating Officer

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