Aged care providers urged to boost feedback loops

Being able to collect and respond to feedback efficiently is key to continuous improvement in this vital industry.

Aimed at ensuring the country maintains a fit for purpose system that delivers top quality support to older Australians, the new rights-based aged care framework has created a host of additional responsibilities for aged care providers.

Ensuring they establish and maintain a positive feedback loop is one of the most important of these. This has been identified as being critical to the delivery of truly consumer-centred care.

The term 'feedback loop' is used to refer to the continuous cycle of collecting and analysing customer feedback and using the insights garnered to improve products and services.

Unpacking the benefits of ongoing engagement with clients

For enterprises operating in the commercial sphere, this is a familiar exercise and one for which there's an excellent economic rationale.

Issues which may be affecting customer satisfaction can be identified more quickly than they may have been, were it left to employees or outspokencustomers to proactively flag them and agitate for change. 

Acknowledging and resolving issues promptly once they've been brought to light can boost customer satisfaction and retention.

A good feedback process also enables organisations to get proactive; to identify unmet and emerging needs and develop products and services to address them.

Collating comprehensive feedback from every customer channel

Although many aged care providers may have some form of feedback loop in place already, whether those arrangements meet the standards mandated by the 2025 aged care reforms is open to question.

Enshrined in the new legislation is a Statement of Rights which allows consumers to voice their expectations about care quality and safety. Families, workers and other stakeholders are formally encouraged to provide feedback on the quality of care being delivered while whistleblowers are afforded enhanced protection. 

Occasional or regular customer surveys will not necessarily capture a complete range of views from consumers, families, staff and other service providers and stakeholders, nor provide whistleblowers with a safe mechanism for raising serious concerns.

Consequently, many providers will need to invest time and resources into enhancing their feedback process, and fast.

Turning to technology to optimise the feedback process

What's required is a comprehensive and systematic information gathering methodology; one which extracts feedback from an array of 'listening channels', including phone calls, in-person conversations, social media interactions and care management systems.

That methodology needs to be coupled with a commitment to acting on feedback when warranted, promptly and appropriately, and to advising individuals who raise concerns of the outcomes that ensue.

Doing all this efficiently and cost effectively may prove challenging for aged care providers that continue to operate in semi-manual mode.

Using pen and paper, spreadsheets and legacy point solutions to pull feedback together and keep track of how and when it was actioned can be time consuming, expensive and insecure.

Adopting integrated digital platforms and processes, including a dedicated incident management and feedback solution, can be a game changer; making responsiveness and accountability achievable, affordable and sustainable in the long term.

Taking expert advice

Implementing new feedback mechanisms can be challenging, particularly for smaller organisations that aren't familiar with the process and don't have a customer experience specialist on the payroll.

Seeking professional advice at the outset, from an experienced consultancy with deep knowledge of the aged care sector, the legislation it's governed by and the specialist solutions available in market, can help you bridge this skills gap.

Choose one that has a proven track record for helping aged care providers optimise every aspect of their operations and you'll be well placed to move ahead with confidence; building a feedback loop that meets the needs of your organisation and its consumers.

Building an aged care system that keeps getting better and better for senior Australians

More than a million older Australians rely on the country's aged care system to meet some, or all, of their daily living needs and operationally sound providers that deliver excellent care are a must. Seeking and actioning feedback regularly is a key – and mandatory – piece of the quality puzzle. 

Harnessing the power of an automated digital eco-system can help your organisation maintain a comprehensive feedback loop efficiently and economically. If you're committed to complying with your regulatory obligations when it comes to continuous improvement, it's the surest way to stay on track.