The world doesn’t need another article about how the social care system has been under pressure for years and how Covid-19 made a difficult situation much worse. What it needs is something positive that will explain how brokering care packages can be made easier to manage. If that’s what you want, you’re in the right place.
We all know the difficulties faced by brokerage teams right now. There’s extra demand for domiciliary care because people are reluctant to use care homes. Meanwhile, care providers are struggling to respond to new care packages because they’re busy trying to keep on top of changing requirements and staff availability – sometimes they just miss the email.
So, is there anything that can make the current situation easier to manage and which could help make the system more resilient? Even if you could afford it, throwing more people at the brokerage system isn’t the answer.
Cloud Technology and New Ways of Working
In many areas of work Covid-19 meant practices needed to change quickly. Increasingly, cloud technology is providing the answers. First and foremost, new technology means that you’re not left with spreadsheets, emails and hours on the phone as your only tools to deal with the new levels of complexity and volatility. Cloud technology also makes remote and flexible working possible while improving data security and accountability.
Cloud computing has cracked the problem of how to make care brokerage more controllable. Ulysses eBrokerage is a secure cloud-based platform. It allows brokers to post new care packages instantly in a secure online environment. Approved providers receive an automated notification of a new package along with details of the care to be delivered and the location of the care user. They can bid for the packages without having to leave the application.
More Productive and Popular With Providers
The brokerage team reviews the bids and awards each package within the eBrokerage application – this just takes a few clicks. Where the system is already in use there has been a significant improvement in productivity. There’s also a far better response rate from providers because they are no longer reliant on emails and have all the details they need to make a decision about whether or not to bid at their fingertips.
The future trajectory of the virus is outside of the control of care brokers and providers. Who knows what pressures are still to come as we enter the winter months? Care brokerage can, however, be made more resilient right now. Ulysses eBrokerage is a proven system that can be installed and working within two weeks, and offered via G-Cloud 12 for rapid procurement. Why not take a look?