The population of Australia is aging, arising from combined impact of the ‘baby boomers’ getting older and improved health care enabling us all to live longer. This demographic drift throws up the dual challenges of providing quality aged care to historically high numbers of people and doing so in a financially viable manner.

These challenges were the focus of a discussion I recently had with Duncan Inkster, national marketing and sales manager, and Simon Penrose, sales manager of Queensland information technology and communciations company, Surecom. Surecom has partnered with its client PresCare, to develop a means of monitoring aged care residents 24/7, while allowing them to keep their independent freedom to move about and undertake normal activities within the facility.

The solution has seen the deployment of Wi-Fi (wireless computer networking technology) based RFID (radio frequency identification) tags along with enterprise location tracking software from US industry leader AeroScout. Each resident’s tag, worn as wrist band or on a lanyard, communicates with Wi-Fi infrastructure at the facility and the system links with each staff member’s mobile handheld device and number of flat screen monitors through out the complex. The solution is based upon a set of
configurable location based rules. Rules can include an at-risk resident moving into a dangerous area, lack of movement for a definable amount of time, or activation of the self alerting buttons on the water resistant tags – all of which can initiate an alert, notifying a duty nurse of a situation requiring immediate attention.

The opportunities for improved service for aged care facility residents created by this system are manifest. Reducing the monitoring load on nursing staff allows them to focus on resident care tasks. The immediacy of alerts means that nursing interventions can be more timely and effective. A wandering dementia patient, for example, can be identified and directed to safety, minimising the risk of harm. The system brings peace of mind to staff, residents and relatives alike. And from the point of view of facility proprietors it makes the difficult task of fulfilling their duty of care for their residents that much easier.

EFFICIENT, SAFER
The Surecom team highlight that along with the improvement in resident care the system also offers the opportunity to improve workflows and gain operating efficiencies
through better staff utilisation. Mr Inkster explained that margins in the aged care industry are relatively low. Organisations that invest in these newly designed and purposely built facilities can track residents with less staffing than was previously required. These technologies can significantly reduce the cost base of aged care operations while enhancing the quality of resident care.

“When you consider that over the next two years around 300 new aged care facilities will be built around Australia totalling more than 20,000 resident beds, the potential savings to the industry of our technology are enormous,” he said. Surecom’s vision for aged care facility management does not stop with the resident tracking system. Asset tracking using similar technology allows quick access to equipment required and reduces equipment loss. When you consider the mobile and distributed nature of the equipment used in aged care, the impact of this technology can be significant. Surecom has built a reputation for customer focus and innovative technology
solutions in the network and telephony industry. Their team sees that the integration of the tracking system with the implementation of technologies such as VoIP (voice over computer networks), on hook telephone paging, webcams and networked communication systems, will allow aged care facilities to improve the quality of life of their residents. Improved communication both within the facilities and with loved ones on line in remote locations will improve the care experience while also facilitating improved cost tracking and billing.

So, 21st century information technology certainly offers innovative solutions to the 21st century challenges of the aged care industry and Queensland’s own Surecom is leading the charge.
www.surecom.com.au
by Michael Moloney

A commitment to development and putting new technology to specific uses has led a Brisbane company to pioneer what it believes will be the future for aged care services in Australia and the world.

Surecom’s CEO, Ash Hanna, said his company’s leading-edge technology applied at PresCare’s, Mt Tamborine aged care facility will also have application for many other industries in the future including transport and logistics, mining and process driven operations to name a few.

The boutique IT&C company, has partnered with its client PresCare, in developing a means of monitoring aged care residents 24/7, while keeping their independent freedom to move about and undertake normal activities within the facility.

“PresCare’s commitment to technology innovation for superior resident care provided the platform for us to undertake the development work required.

“What we have achieved is a new type of nurse call system.”

Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) Recognition hardware produced by AeroScout in the US had been adapted to provide a flexible and personalized approach.

The Partnership has attracted Australian and world attention and been nominated for industry awards since being introduced at PresCare’s 38 bed facility at Tamborine Mountain.

PresCare is now looking at further introduction of the service following the success of the Tamborine Mountain rollout.

Mr Skelton, PresCare’s IT Director & Chief Financial Officer, said the service provided clear benefits for both nurses and residents by enabling flexible care.

“Our research and PresCare’s commitment to innovation has allowed a truly pioneering approach within the Australian healthcare industry. This solution is superior to the less informative, conventional room-based buzzer-alert systems.”

Residents and key staff wear user-friendly wristbands or necklaces which are monitored through a series of sensor points called “exciters” located throughout the complex.

The design enables residents to push a personal alert button for assistance or to be located quickly, such as in the instance of a resident with dementia leaving predefined boundaries.

Mr Hanna said Surecom’s research technology had delivered a flexible, mobile alerting and nurse-call system which could ensure the safety of all residents, at all times, while still allowing them the freedom to move around the entire facility.

Behind the cutting edge service is American company AeroScout’s Wi-Fi-based RFID tags along with its enterprise location tracking software, MobileView. These products allow linking staff mobile handheld device as well as several flat screen monitors throughout the complex.

Mr Hanna said, Surecom’s brief was to source, provide design applications and implement a product to allow high-accuracy detection in critical locations such as doorways and exits.

“Whenever an alert is triggered, an on-call nurse is immediately notified through their handheld device.

The partnership selected the American product to develop because of the tags technical excellence and rugged nature, as well as the user-friendly look and feel”.

“In addition, the MobileView software can be accessed through any web-enabled device, enabling the facility to perform real-time searches for residents and detailed reports on all activities.”

“We have now a proven, cost-effective example how Wi-Fi technology can be developed to compliment existing services and provide a level of safety, quality control and efficiency not previously possible without major cost through additional processes,” Mr Hanna said.

IP enabled SmaX system has been ordered for inclusion in one of Queensland’s most technologically advanced “smart building” projects, called “Vela” – an aged care facility for PresCare, a Ministry of the Presbyterian Church of Queensland.

Surecom will see more than 170 doors being controlled by the TCP/IP version of the SmaX system. Stage one of the project, due to open in approximately March 2009, with additional stages of building is planned for commencement later in 2009.

The decision to have a keyless system running throughout the whole facility will have an enormous cost benefit for PresCare. Using the SmaX system, when a new staff member starts, Human Resources will be able to quickly provide new staff a card with appropriate permissions, and remove the access rights from old cards. This will result in better security for the facility, its residents and staff, and will mean that PresCare will not need to incur the cost associated with replacement keys, locks and locksmiths.

With ongoing consultation between BQT and Surecom, the IP version of SmaX became available at the right time for this project. Due to the IP nature of the project, all communications and security can be controlled via a state based control room – rather than needing to have a control room in each site – again, saving on infrastructure and space associated costs. We’re also able to access all the general benefits of IP – fast communications; better use of consolidated cabling and a much more efficient installation process.”

Ash Hanna CEO of Surecom said is very excited to be working with PresCare to deliver this project which is at the forefront of building technology. “PresCare decided that Vela would be built as a keyless facility, where staff are given smart cards to access restricted zones. The whole facility is to be keyless – even the kitchen uses smart card technology,” he said.