Dr. Priyanka Vandersman explains why it is essential for home care IT to be integrated into the end-of-life conversation, with End-of-Life Directions for Aged Care (ELDAC) focusing on understanding the needs, capabilities, and constraints faced by vendors.
(Dr. Priyanka Vandersman is currently a senior research fellow associated with the End of Life Directions for Aged Care (ELDAC) Project at the Research Centre for Palliative Care, Death and Dying at Flinders University).
A considerable amount of the current sector’s attention is rightly focused on workforce preparation, modifications to care models, and ensuring compliance with new standards. However, there is another crucial element of this transition that has received significantly less focus – the technology that supports these services and the vendors who develop and maintain these digital systems.
Investment in home care technology is vital
At ELDAC, we are leading initiatives that shine a light on this very concern. Our priority is to understand the needs, capabilities, and limitations of home care IT vendors as they seek to enhance their systems in response to the reforms.
This is not merely a technical issue; it is a strategic necessity. We understand that the systems and platforms employed in home care are diverse. Some providers operate with limited digital infrastructure, utilizing basic scheduling or rostering tools.
Others utilize more advanced systems that incorporate elements of care documentation and client records. However, very few are currently prepared to support end-of-life care workflows, to identify or document deterioration, or to facilitate meaningful discussions about care goals. This restricts what providers can achieve in practice and what they can demonstrate regarding quality, safety, and alignment with consumer preferences.
Digital systems are not neutral instruments. They influence what is acknowledged and what is prioritized in care. If deterioration is not easily flagged within a system, or if there is no designated space to record care goals, then these significant aspects of care risk being overlooked. If systems do not allow for detailed reporting, then care coordination becomes difficult. Additionally, if data on end-of-life care is not easily visualized or shared, providers are at a disadvantage in terms of care planning and delivery, as well as in demonstrating compliance with Outcome 5.7.
This is why it is essential to invest in the digital maturity of home care at this moment. As individuals live longer with more complex conditions, and as more people die in community settings, the ability to respond to end-of-life care needs is critical.
Work is in progress to bridge existing gaps
At ELDAC, we are engaging closely with home care IT vendors to enhance our understanding of their current capabilities, identify functionality gaps, and examine the challenges they face in adapting digital systems to facilitate end-of-life care. We are also contemplating what types of evidence, tools, and guidance could bolster capability across the sector.
There is substantial potential to transition these systems from being mainly administrative platforms to becoming proactive enablers of high-quality, person-centred care. With the right design and support, digital tools can advance beyond data storage to assist in recognizing early signs of deterioration or evolving care needs, prompt timely conversations about care goals, and illuminate the truly important information.
As the sector prepares for the rollout of the End of Life Pathway and the broader Support at Home program, this is both a moment of opportunity and a point of accountability. Aged care is becoming increasingly digital, and for this transformation to be significant, it must be fit for purpose. This means being responsive to complexity, grounded in care relationships, and aligned with the needs of individuals nearing the end of life. This requires acknowledging the vital role of IT vendors, understanding the context in which they operate, and collaborating to establish the digital infrastructure that supports safe, visible, and person-centred care in the home.
As this work continues, we are exploring how home care IT systems can better assist providers in delivering, documenting, and demonstrating high-quality end-of-life care. We welcome contributions from those designing and implementing these technologies to help shape practical and context-sensitive solutions.