Improving Efficiency Through the Use of Technology in Nursing Homes

Nursing homes and care homes are becoming more efficient thanks to the use and introduction of new technology. These new technologies allow for greater levels of monitoring in all aspects of residential care homes. We live in a paperless world and this is now becoming commonplace in all medical and residential care facilities.

It is now possible for members of staff to bring up residents medical records and other details instantly. This means that when a resident calls a nurse for aid, the nurse will instantly be able to view medical data. This in turn means that the nurse will be able to provide improved care. Using the old fashioned paper filing systems often meant delays between a nurse call and treatment, as records need to be checked before administering care.

Using wireless aid call systems also allows home managers to monitor response times and other data. This means that management can analyze response times and act upon them. They will be able to discover times of the day when extra nurses may be required.

Another new development in care home systems is the way that medication is administered. The current method used by almost all nursing homes involves a lot of administration which is very time consuming. New systems are being introduced which allow for high tech bar-coding. This means that any medicine administered is immediately scanned with a special sensor and logged into a central computer system.

Administering medications in this way is thought to save around 60% of the medicine round times. This is because there is no need to check records, add new data to logs, and cross reference with historical medical data. Everything is contained within the computer software which only administers bar-coded medication packs.

New systems like this are being introduced to all care homes in Europe and the United States. They will improve staff support and lower administration work. This means that staff will have more time to interact with residents. It has been proven that even spending a few extra minutes a day having a chat with a resident has a massive positive effect on their well being.

Many people are reluctant to convert to new systems which use computers, but the benefits of doing so will vastly increase the standard of care offered. New computerized systems mean that human error will become a thing of the past. There is of course an initial outlay and staff training is required for any changes, but the new technologies are specifically designed to improve efficiency and care levels.