A new research report has measured the digital maturity of Australia’s aged and community care sector and established a benchmark for further improvement to meet changing regulatory demands.
The Aged Care Industry Information Technology Council (ACIIT), which implemented the national project together with the Australian Digital Health Agency, defined digital maturity as the organization’s ability to adapt so it can function effectively in an increasingly digital environment.
FINDINGS
More than 165 organizations in the elderly and community care sector took part in ACIIT’s research. They represented more than 56,000 residential sites, accounting for almost a tenth of the sector.
They had to rate their digital maturity in seven domains, along with their respective subdomains, on a Likert scale of 0-6. These domains are adapted from various digital maturity frameworks and include IT Capability; People, skills and behavior; Governance and Strategy; Interoperability; Data analysis; Cybersecurity; and client-centered care. Based on the findings, the sector scores an average digital maturity of 58.4 out of 109.
By location, metropolitan providers were said to be ‘strongly embracing’ digital technologies, while their rural counterparts were making ‘significant progress’ in their digital journey. Major providers with more than 100 sites were “active” participants in their digital transformation; non-residential providers appeared to increase their digital maturity; while remote providers have achieved a ‘moderate level’ of digital maturity, despite being ‘committed’ to digital progress.
An analysis of the findings also revealed some strengths and weaknesses in the sector’s digital capabilities.
Respondents appeared to have a “high level” of confidence in their cybersecurity. Their use of free Wi-Fi, video conferencing and broadcast messaging was also relatively high and their business continuity processes were largely established.
In terms of weaknesses, there appeared to be a lack of innovation, including the use of robotics, AI, digital apps and remote monitoring equipment. Respondents admitted that they were not equalThe intention is that residents and their representatives have access to digital documents. The findings also showed that “data is more likely to be used on a prescriptive basis to optimize activities and outcomes based on collected data, rather than in real time or in a predictive capacity.”
Despite their confidence in their cyber security, there were concerns about the security of residents’ data, which was said to be ‘mediocre’. About a quarter of the organizations surveyed also do not know whether their cybersecurity is insured.
THE GREATER CONTEXT
Meanwhile, ACIITC noted improvements in industry responses three years after their first digital maturity survey in 2020. There was a reported increase in the use of phishing security software; more staff have access to data; a greater use of technological solutions for communication (such as videoconferencing and mobile devices), and greater ownership of technology.
The association attributed these improvements to the impact of the global pandemic and increasing cybersecurity threats and incidents, in addition to a stricter technology compliance regime.
At least 68 of the 109 recommendations from the Royal Commission into the Quality and Safety of Aged Care in 2021 highlighted the need for the sector’s digital transformation. It was pointed out that the sector was “very analogue” and “well behind” other sectors in its use of technology. The federal government then set aside about 100% $200 million to implement the committee’s recommendations and upgrade ICT systems in aged care.
Additionally, the latest ACIIT report noted that most organizations surveyed “generally have not achieved functional external interoperability, nor use effective data analytics, nor have resident engagement or access to digital solutions.” There was also lower digital maturity in clinical support than in resident care and administrative activities. This confirms a recent finding by the Aged Care Technology Consortium, which previously noted the lack of critical digital systems within elderly care based on their sector-wide research.
In addition to conducting the survey, ACIIT has also developed two digital maturity improvement toolkits, one for survey respondents and an upcoming second that will be made available across the industry. The toolkits will help address operational and compliance requirements, set long-term strategic objectives and provide a roadmap for digital maturity.