BlueCare pioneers customer-centric aged care with Neighbourhood model
BlueCare is revolutionising home-based aged care with its innovative Neighbourhood model, a customer-first approach that places people at the heart of care delivery - locally.
Focusing on a personalised service, BlueCare Neighbourhoods deliver local clients consistent “tailor-made” care by a team of familiar faces they know. The teams work closely with customers to design their care and support that aligns with individual needs and goals, incorporating enabling and specialised services that further enhance our service offerings.
Care is provided in customers’ homes or in a community setting of their choice, prioritising independence, choice and control. Early results are promising with customer satisfaction at 87% this quarter, up from 85% previously and continuing to rise.
Speaking at the ACCPA 2024 National Conference this week, in October, BlueCare Group General Manager, Maria McLaughlin-Rolfe said the decision to overhaul care delivery at home was prompted by the pending aged-care reforms and the introduction of the Support at Home program.
“As one of Queensland’s largest and most trusted not-for-profit providers of in-home care, we recognised the need to quickly adapt to the evolving aged-care market,’’ Maria said.
"Leveraging customer feedback and international best practice models for place-based care, we developed and launched the BlueCare Neighbourhoods.”
Transitioning to this new model required significant changes including new staffing structures, ways of working and integrating advanced technology systems and processes.
Rolled out through a phased approach across Queensland, the full implementation of BlueCare Neighbourhoods was completed by May 2024, impacting more than 3200 staff and more than 30,000 customers.
“The success of this transformation has improved the customer experience and enhanced staff retention,’’ Maria said.
“Feedback from staff and clients has been overwhelmingly positive, with increases to customer satisfaction and consistency rankings within the first six months - signalling optimism for a smooth transition with aged care reform.”
A key factor in the transformation's success was the implementation of nine complex technology platforms, which empower BlueCare to deliver even more personalised care.
Covering more than 100 neighbourhoods across Queensland, the transition included training more than 3,300 staff, achieving an impressive 88% satisfaction rate.
Data migrations were completed for 3332 employees, 32,000 customers, and over 500,000 customer visits, with an exceptional data quality score of 99.97%.
The technology integration bridged 50 pathways between legacy platforms and modern SaaS platforms creating a seamless, cohesive technology infrastructure.
“We are excited to be part of this next evolution of in care delivery,” Maria said.
“As we continue to embed the model, we are learning and refining, working toward our strategic goals and preparing for reform.” Maria said.