Rand Aid’s Ron Smith Care Centre (RSCC) has taken a significant step in modernising its resident care by digitising its medical files.
The initiative, which began with a pilot in the River Lodge 1 wing in April, is now being rolled out across the centre’s other wings, following successful implementation in River Lodges 2 and 3.
Leanie Bessinger, head of nursing services at RSCC, says the move to digital records has already had a noticeable impact on efficiency and patient care. “Having the system in place means I can oversee residents’ vital signs and nursing staff notes directly from my office,” she says. “Although I still prefer to maintain a hands-on approach, it greatly improves our oversight and ensures nothing gets lost.”
The centre uses HealthWare, a software solution chosen after careful evaluation of several service providers. According to HealthWare, its platform ‘provides a complete software solution to manage the clinical, administrative and financial requirements of any care home facility or hospital’.
Each wing of the care centre has two to three tablets for nursing staff. Nurses’ notes, along with entries from the doctor on call, physiotherapist, and other allied providers, plus blood test results, vital signs, and daily reports, are updated in real time, saving staff time previously spent on paperwork.
HealthWare stores all patient records safely in an electronic medical record, allowing RSCC to become entirely paperless. Seamless integration ensures that information flows smoothly from intake to discharge, improving care co-ordination between disciplines and departments.
The system is also linked to Rand Aid’s four retirement villages. If a resident requires recuperative care at Ron Smith, the village sister can load the resident’s medical details before admission, making the process smoother and more efficient.
Leanie emphasises the practical benefits of the system: “It’s incredibly easy to use. Our doctor makes her notes directly into HealthWare, and everything is immediately available to the team. No more misplaced files, and the time saved on administrative tasks can now be dedicated to providing better care.”
With the digitisation project underway across all wings, RSCC continues to prioritise high-quality, efficient, and co-ordinated care for its residents, embracing technology without compromising the personal touch that defines Rand Aid’s approach.
