News

Digital information is the bedrock of high quality healthcare. The benefits for patients are significant and compelling: hospital admissions avoided, fewer adverse drug events, reduced duplication of tests, better coordination of care for people with chronic and complex conditions, and better informed treatment decisions. Digital health can help save and improve lives.

To support the uptake of digital health services, the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) Health Council today approved Australia’s National Digital Health strategy (2018-2022).

Read more:

Health Ministers approve Australia’s National Digital Health strategy

Australian Digital Health Agency – Australia’s National Digital Health strategy (.pdf)

In September 2017, streamlined functionality to support ACFI Reviews and Reconsiderations will be available in the My Aged Care provider portal.

Importantly, these changes aim to improve business efficiency and costs for providers by replacing paper based processes which have been dependent on postal services.

Summary of changes

The changes will introduce streamlined functionality within the provider portal to help providers to:

• Receive and action notifications for onsite and at desk ACFI Reviews being conducted by the Department of Health (DoH);

• Receive notification of the results from ACFI Reviews and Reconsiderations through the provider portal;

• Make a request where they wish to have an ACFI Review classification decision reconsidered.

Read more:

ACFI Reviews and Reconsiderations in the My Aged Care provider portal

Provider portal changes to support Aged Care Funding Instrument (ACFI) Reviews and Reconsideration Fact sheet (.pdf)

From: The Weekly Source (1 Aug 2017)

Announcing the McCrindle Baynes Village Census and Rating Program 2017.

Let your residents be heard by participating in this landmark village resident survey which goes into the field late September with results in November.

A large participation by operators and residents will create a factual body of knowledge on the true levels of satisfaction of village residents plus what their drivers are in joining a village.

The 2011 and 2013 McCrindle Baynes Census’ delivered 15,200 residents across close to 400 villages and 50 private and Not For Profit operators, completing up to 50 questions which identified satisfaction levels, marketing intelligence and areas for improvement.

Read more:

Attention village operators and marketers – let your residents be heard

McCrindle Baynes Village Census 2017 Prospectus (.pdf)

The department has engaged CIT Solutions to conduct a national project to identify the personal capability elements for successfully interacting with the My Aged Care system.

The project will:

• identify the capability elements of the My Aged Care workforce that support effective operation of My Aged Care

• pinpoint the priority personal capabilities that can further improve the My Aged Care experience for consumers

• shape the mechanisms (such as learning opportunities) for enhancing personal capability.

The first phase of the project has been completed, and the second phase will take place during August 2017.

Read more:

My Aged Care Capability Development Project (.pdf)

In Case You Missed It – Below are links to recent articles on Aged Care and Healthcare that may be of interest:

Read more:

ACG – Hens create happiness, and art, in aged care

ACG – Maggie Beer is ‘Creating An Appetite for Life’ in August

AAA – Call for sector to help improve literacy around death

SMH – Aveo’s new Freedom Aged Care program comes at a high cost

SMH – Calls for action on retirement villages grow louder

SMH – Aveo faces outcry over push into Freedom Aged Care

28 July 2017

The Turnbull Government will invest over $16 million to deliver the national roll-out of real time prescription monitoring for medicines to directly address the needless loss of life from misuse of these drugs.

The Real Time Prescription Monitoring system will provide an instant alert to pharmacists and doctors if patients received multiple supplies of prescription-only medicines.

This system will save lives and protect the community. This is something of absolute national importance.

Real time monitoring has been called for by the Australian Medical Association, Pharmacy Guild and by many families across the country who have been devastated by the loss of a loved one to misuse of prescription medicine.

We have listened to these calls and today we are taking action.

Read more:

National approach to prescription drug misuse (.pdf)

The Aged Care Complaints Commissioner has recently made quarterly data available to the public.

Read more:

National Quarterly Bulletin – Detailed contacts: March quarter 2016 – March quarter 2017 (.pdf)

Complaints by State – March 2017 (.pdf)

Aged Care Complaints – National Quarterly Bulletins

The Department of Health has released a new edition of its ‘Information for Aged Care Providers’ newsletter.

Read more:

Information for Aged Care Providers – Issue #2017/13 (.pdf)

The Australian Aged Care Quality Agency has released the July 2017 issue of their ‘Quality Standard’ newsletter.

Read more:

Quality Standard – July 2017 (.pdf)

Australian Aged Care Quality Agency

In Case You Missed It – Below are links to recent articles on Aged Care and Healthcare that may be of interest:

Read more:

AAA – Providers told to ‘up their game’ on customer service

AAA – Physios call on minister to improve services to residents

AAA – Empowered staff the key to sector innovation: Report

ACG – Nurses, carers and health care professionals cry-out over fears of future penalty cuts

TWS – Law firm advertises class action against Aveo

AAG – Commission knocks back bid for more flexible part-time contracts

AAG – OPAN wins tender to run national advocacy program

ACG – Young Australians ‘Get Into’ aged care thanks to new pilot program

ACG – Graffiti and street art tour teaches seniors how to ‘Grow Bold’

TWS – KPMG survey: up to 80% of aged care providers fail to answer potential customer calls