A Clinical Monitoring and Management System for Residential Aged Care Facilities

In response to an extended user needs analysis, a home telecare system designed for the management of patients with chronic disease was adapted for use in residential aged care facilities (RACFs). The system architecture and hardware and software components are described for both the client- and server-side. The client-side includes medication dispensing, scheduled clinical measurements and questionnaire delivery. The server-side supports Web-based administrative tools for scheduling and medications management, as well as automated reporting functions. A brief discussion on a trial of the system in five different RACFs focuses on how clinical information technology can support and improve care standards and deliver better health outcomes for residents in Australian aged care homes