Brodribb Home leading the way in aged care for digital health uplift

The Brodribb Home have been delivering quality, trusted care to older persons in the Toowoomba community for more than 100 years.

‘Modern Aged Care, steeped in tradition.’

Embodying their core messaging, the home has embraced digital health to improve coordination and continuity of care, empowering residents with greater access to quality care.

The Brodribb Home was one of the 57 of 63 RACHs in the region to apply for and receive a PHN Connected Health Care Grant to enhance current information technology.

Director of Nursing at the Brodribb Home, Olivia O’Dempsey (BM, MN, MP), said the funding was used to implement a full Electronic Medical Record system, including a comprehensive resident management platform and an electronic medication prescribing and administration system.

“We introduced Person Centred Software (PCS), which ensures residents' needs are not only met but are individualised, regularly reviewed, and clearly documented.

This platform enhances safety, quality, and efficiency of care delivery, aligning with the Aged Care Quality and Safety Standards,” said Ms O’Dempsey.

The rise of telehealth in primary care settings has been fundamental to increasing access to virtual care for patients in the Darling Downs region.

The Brodribb Home are one of many providers in the region utilising the technology to deliver timely, patient-centred care.

“We use it regularly in the facility to connect residents with specialist services - particularly for those who are medically unfit to travel.

This has effectively bridged the gap in access to specialist care, allowing consultations to take place at the bedside and ensuring timely, appropriate interventions without the stress of hospital transfers,” said Ms O’Dempsey.

The Brodribb Home is also utilising the national, secure health record system, My Health Record, to securely store resident health information.

“My Health Record is accessed daily through our medication management system. As a Nurse Practitioner, I rely on My Health Record to review residents’ medical histories and previous investigations. This helps prevent duplication of tests and ensures continuity of care,” said Ms O’Dempsey.

“Our Registered Nurses also use My Health Record regularly to guide clinical decision-making, particularly around pathology, radiology, and specialist reviews. It has significantly improved communication and reduced medication-related errors.”

Ms O’Dempsey also said the home had implemented Electronic National Residential Medication Charts (eNRMC), using the MPS Connect solution HealthStream to remotely prescribe and administer medications.

“This vital capability has reduced after-hours hospital admissions, enabled timely palliative care and symptom management, improved clinical governance by eliminating transcribing errors and dual prescribing, and ensured legibility and up-to-date medication information at the point of care.

Nursing staff no longer need to interpret handwriting or unclear instructions, significantly reducing the risk of medication errors,” said Ms O’Dempsey.

By embracing modern digital health technology while maintaining its long-standing commitment to quality, The Brodribb Home are setting the standard for delivering quality aged care in the heart of the community.