Assessment

It helps to identify specific needs, and inefficiencies in workflows and ensures the chosen technology aligns with facility goals.


1 / Analysis of the current situation in the long-term care facility


If you keep in mind that digital transformation happens in already existing environment, with its own organizational structure and pre-implementation digital maturity, everyone’s understanding of the current situation in a LTC facility is vital for implementing new technology. It helps to identify specific needs, inefficiencies in workflows and ensures the chosen technology aligns with facility goals.
This understanding is essential for integrating new technology seamlessly into the existing processes. It also helps to plan the training in a way that takes into account actual digital literacy of all the involved stakeholders. Describing the current state also highlights:
  1. the benefits of technology adoption,
  2. supports better resource allocation and
  3. is a basis for informed decision-making.
This comprehensive understanding is crucial as staff members can provide valuable insights into daily challenges and suggest practical solutions, and it helps selecting features that directly address these challenges. Finally, understanding the current situation also helps in ensuring that the chosen technology complies with regulatory standards and guidelines in the healthcare sector and the LTC facility.

Areas and tasks you should consider


A common understanding of the organizational structure of the long-term care facility that plans to undertake digital transformation.

It is essential for all the stakeholders involved in the digital transformation process (from service providers, to developers, management etc.) to always keep in mind the whole organizational structure of the facility and its purpose since they represent a basis for understanding of specific workflows and people involved in the processes.
Here are some examples of questions that can help you build that common understanding:
  1. What kind of organisation is your LTC facility, what does it do?
  2. How is the management structured? How is the work structured?
  3. How many employees are there in the organisation?
  4. What profiles of people does your organization have or with other words which professionals work there?
  5. What kind of services does your LTC facility provide?
  6. How many older people does an organisation provide care for? And where?
  7. Which areas of care does it cover? Does your organization have units or some specialized facilities, groups?
  8. Is there a specialized ICT, research and/or educational unit?

Understanding of LTC facility needs and wishes in terms of digital transformation.

If you don’t know yet, which digital solution you want to implement, needs assessment together with an understanding of the LTC facility is your starting point. And even if you have technology or digital solution already in mind, understanding of the LTC facility and needs assessment will help you better shape your decision.

For successful digital transformation needs based approach is essential or to put it differently, only solution answering the needs of LTC facility can be successfully implemented.
Here are some examples of questions that can help you with needs assessment (choose ones that are relevant for your situation):
  1. What are the main challenges in your organization?
  2. Can any of them be addressed with digital transformation / technology?
  3. What digital solution do your employees propose regarding their everyday work?
While doing needs assessment it is important to include all stakeholders that will later be involved in use of digital solution: so, think about who are the stakeholders you have to include while introducing your digital solution?

Understanding of a specific workflow / work processes LTC facility plans to digitalise.

Before starting digitalisation, it is important that all the crucial stakeholders involved in preparation and execution of digital transformation process (from service providers, to developers, management, other key employees etc.) have a common understanding of the work process that LCT facility plans to digitalise.
After writing down the process LTC facility wishes to digitalize or support with new technology, we suggest that all the relevant stakeholders discuss their understanding of the process, think about why technology is needed in that process and what are perceived benefits and consequences if the technology is (not) implemented.

2 / Understanding the long-term implication of the digital solution on long-term care facility


When implementing new digital solutions, it is essential to look beyond the current benefits and to also think about their long-term relevance and impact. Questions about:
  1. the durability of the solution over 10-15 years,
  2. the need for updates or upgrades,
  3. the ability to adapt to changing infrastructure and quality standards, and
  4. the ability to identify potential future problems are essential.
A complete picture ensures, that the chosen solution will not only be successful in the short term but will also be able to meet changing needs and challenges in the long term.
Think about the future situation and potential changes in your LTC facility. And don’t forget to inquire about the durability of the solution and if / when updates and upgrades may be needed.