Background: Digital solutions have the potential to improve end of life care outcomes across all settings, including aged care. However, technology integration and implementation can seem daunting and onerous. 

Aim: To present a case study of partnership between a project team and aged care service to integrate and implement a palliative care dashboard in 11 Residential Aged Care (RAC) sites. 

Method: 

Step1: Technical integration of the dashboard:  The in-house IT team at Carinity worked closely with the ELDAC team to integrate the digital dashboard into their existing clinical IT system via mid-layer integration.  

Step2: Service implementation of the dashboard: During an 8-week trial, a supported implementation process was rolled out across 11 Carinity sites. The package was tailored to the site and its existing work processes. Pre-post interviews were carried out with staff. 

Results: The integration of the digital dashboard as a mid-layer to the existing IT system was feasible.  It allowed for a tailored output design of the dashboard that aligned with existing work processes and clinical documentation tools. 

The implementation sites showed positive impacts from dashboard use. Engagement between the project and service teams resulted in tailored support. Key elements contributing to successful implementation were manager support, site champions, and staff training. The benefits of the dashboard were realised by clinical and managerial staff who reported a centralised platform for all end-of-life information helped them identify and address gaps in care and documentation as well as enhance efficiency. At a service level it enabled managers to have a bird’s-eye-view of end-of-life care activity and help audit and compliance related documentation.  

Conclusion: Technology transformation in aged care is underway and digital approaches for end-of-life care in aged care are needed. The ELDAC and Carinity experience of the dashboard shows the value of co-design and co-delivery of technology projects.