The Future of EVV Technology in Home Care

There was a big focus on technology this summer at the FUTURE conference with Home Health Care News. As we head into busy season, we put together some thoughts on how your home care agency can use technology to get ahead in 2024. 

Acute care technology has a stronghold in operations and day-to-day work, and with a renewed focus on post-acute care, technology has started to keep pace. This also means using technology in a way that allows you to do more with less and maximizing your EVV technology. 

Optimize the aging-in-place experience

University of Michigan research found that 15% of older adults who said it was important that they age in place, have given a lot of thought to modifications or changes that need to be made to their home to fulfill that desire. What’s more, less than 4% of housing is accessible for people with moderate mobility challenges, according to Harvard.

One emerging technology in the home care space is remote monitoring (without the use of video). This was brought on for a variety of reasons, 1. including the need for less invasive solutions and 2. wearables aren’t ideal for all, particularly for clients living with dementia. Interventions like these can identify opportunities and challenges that can be fixed with your caregivers in the home. Then you can also share this information with families to keep them informed of risks. 

The initial needs can be identified in a home assessment, but the ongoing needs can be identified by adding value through added services like technology. 

Here are a few examples (mentioning companies does not imply endorsement): 

• Handsfree Health: Their digital health platform connects from a non-wearable device (or wearable if the person wants it) to an app that a family caregiver can receive updates on.
• StackCare: Their non-invasive, sensor-based technology can inform families and home care agencies on immediate-term and long-term needs that can enable aging-in-place for as long as possible.
• Electronic Caregiver: Their virtual companion can monitor a client when a caregiver isn’t present and provide data and insights that optimize a caregiver’s engagement with clients.

Improve time efficiency

In the digital age, any technology that can remove repetitive tasks off your plate is a win. Time not spent on easy-to-outsource or delegate tasks can be spent on: 

• Developing improved relationships with clients
• Reconnecting with referral partners in your community
• Proactively identifying and resolving issues with caregivers

One way you can do this is with ChatGPT/OpenAI. ChatGPT has many uses in the home care world, and some of them include: 

• Writing social media captions and content for LinkedIn
• Personalizing email templates to send out to various audiences 
• Identifying trends and news
• And more

Modern technology has saved the average person 2 weeks a year, and it does wonders in a professional setting too. Original research from FormStack found that 51% of workers report spending 2 hours a day on repetitive tasks that can be automated. 

Another way to leverage EVV technology in the name of efficiency is identifying the right agency management platform for you. Read how Dr. Malik, CEO of America A Care leveraged CareTime to embed more meaningful time with his clients and caregivers into his day-to-day work. 

Simplify operations

What does your home care tech stack look like? Here are a few recommendations that we’ve rounded up to save you time and make operations a little bit easier. 

If you’re using paper service agreements and printing care plans for families to view, consider using a platform like DocuSign, Dropbox Sign, or AdobeSign.

Still relying on a physical phone line? Make passing the phone to on-call easier with a VoIP, or Voice Over Internet Protocol platform. That could mean Google Voice or a platform like Ring Central.

Automate your caregiver recruiting procedures with a program like PreIntent, an HCP Company. From automated text and email drips to interview scheduling, this gives your caregiver recruiter more time to spend on other core functions. Keep your employees engaged at every stage of the funnel.

Move your agency into the future with technology

75% of older adults are leveraging technology, and to keep up with this population, prepare your caregivers for their existing and future needs. 

By familiarizing yourself with emerging and existing technology programs and platforms, you’ll set your team and company up for the future. 

At CareTime, we’re prepared to move and scale with you at every stage of growth. We encourage you to share what technology programs you’ve chosen to leverage at your agency and how they’ve improved your life.