PainChek®, the world’s first artificial intelligence (AI)-powered pain assessment tool, has launched a landmark global industry report: Digital Transformation in Aged Care: 2022 and Beyond, in partnership with VCare, New Zealand’s top residential aged care software solution provider.
The report brings together the latest research and insights from industry experts on how digital transformation is helping deliver high-quality clinical care, improve resident outcomes, and inspire growth in aged care.
PainChek’s CEO, Philip Daffas believes technology-based tools and systems are the only way forward if significant improvements in the quality of care are to be made, but that more funding is essential:
“The aged care industry is currently in a state of significant transformation, driven by a growing ageing population, a heightened focus on the quality of care, changing business models, ongoing workforce challenges, and technological advancement. Technology-based tools and systems are the key to improvements in the quality of care, empowering staff to build skill sets, and optimising operational efficiencies.”
Technology crucial to overcoming critical staffing challenges
Earlier this year, staff shortages across all areas of New Zealand’s health and social care sectors hit crisis levels, with the chief executive of the New Zealand Nurses Organisation saying there was a shortage of 4,000 nurses in New Zealand.
The New Zealand Aged Care Association (NZACA) also believes staff shortages in the sector have reached a crisis point and reported that some workers are doing shifts of up to 24 hours straight.
“The care sector in New Zealand – and globally – is facing significant recruitment and retention challenges at a time when more staff than ever are needed to deliver quality care to this growing population,” PainChek CEO Philip Daffas said. “Tackling this challenge requires a monumental digital transformation in the way we train, recruit, and retain care workers.”
New Zealand’s third-largest care provider, Summerset, completed a successful six-month pilot program trialling PainChek at Summerset’s Levin Care Centre and has since rolled out PainChek’s digital pain assessment solution in all 24 of its care centres.
PainChek is fully integrated with Summerset’s existing CMS provider, VCare, meaning clinical staff benefit from significant time savings and workflow improvement.
Lynda Irvine, head of clinical services at Summerset, said: “PainChek really made us think about how important effective pain management is for older people. The connection with VCare reduces duplication for clinical staff and means the team can spend a little more time each day with residents.”
The Digital Transformation in Aged Care: 2022 and Beyond report is free to download via the PainChek website: https://www.painchek.com/nz/
