Research & Innovation
The Carers’ Phone Research Team
The Carers’ Phone is the culmination of years of in-depth research by a team of highly skilled and experienced industry specialists. Read on to learn more about our research leaders…
Matthew Purtell
Matthew has extensive international experience in environmental monitoring solutions. As a software engineer and system programmer, he developed innovative approaches to the interface of software systems and management reporting requirements in a range of commercial sectors. Matthew has been working as an ICT Consultant since 2002, with a focus on system design, implementation, security, and communication for community based service organisations. Matthew is skilled at identifying innovative ways of streamlining care workflows and implementing new systems with minimal disruption. He has a special interest in cost-effective and innovative telecommunication solutions in community case management. He is a skilled trainer who is able to ‘bring people along’ in change processes linked to major practice improvement initiatives. Matthew says: “Very early on in our demonstrations of The Carers’ Phone, people would express amazement that we were not using costly hand-held devices or mobile phones. The idea of a client-care monitoring system that doesn’t require a personal handset seems to be viewed as a step backward by larger agencies that have already committed significant funds to high-tech solutions.” He continues, “However, many of the people we talk to are pleasantly surprised once they realise that a huge upfront cash investment is not necessary. Most small to medium-sized providers simply cannot justify that sort of expense when every dollar counts in community care. Throughout the entire process of development, we made every effort to keep the costs of the system to an absolute minimum. The result is a product that is affordable for every service provider, large or small.”
Mollie Sullivan
Mollie has over 25 years’ experience with case management models as a practitioner, manager, researcher and consultant. Her earlier research examined the impact of brokerage funding and the learning needs of case managers in packaged care. Mollie previously worked in allied health, rehabilitation, Aged Care Assessment Services, hospital management and private sector home care. She currently heads up a specialist consulting group with a focus on quality and communication systems that support continuous improvement in person centered practice and positive client outcomes. Mollie’s experience in managing community care programs led to her desire to develop an easy-to-use, highly reliable client monitoring system that would improve communication between case managers and staff working in the home with their clients.
“When I assist providers with their funding applications, I often find they are being asked about their methods of monitoring clients’ wellbeing in the home, and how that information gets back to the office staff and case managers – who are often on the road visiting their clients,” Mollie says.
While many service providers use paper based systems, Ms Sullivan knew there had to be an easier, more confidential and more time efficient way of gathering vital client information.
Several years later, having worked with her team at Verso Consulting, and after rigorous field testing throughout Australia, The Carers’ Phone now stands as testament to her commitment to that goal.
Latest Research & Innovation Updates
- Download The Carers’ Phone slideshow presented at the Case Management Society Australia 2011 Conference (PDF)
This paper presents the findings of action research projects that have trialed a system approach to the collection of client monitoring data in the provision of HACC and care packages. Providers in rural and metropolitan services in NT, WA and Victoria took part in the research. The pilots involved 130+ clients and over 200 care staff including case managers. Data has been analysed from over 2800 client observation reports resulting in 'risk alerts' across 10 key care domains. Results give an insight into variations in client stability in different programs and the potential for ICT to support major reform in community case management.
Plans for further research to develop a specific system to support person centered practice have been foreshadowed. We are looking for teams, practitioners and care providers across Australia to help us with the development of a Person Centred Care Module. Click on our Contact Us page to get in touch with our team if you are interested to be a part of the next stage of our research
- Download The Carers’ Phone feature from the August/September 2011 Australian Ageing Agenda
This article provides a brief overview of the history of The Carers’ Phone and an explanation of how the system works.
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