CEO Roundtable: Supporting Client Experience

CEO Roundtable: Supporting Client Experience 

By Danni Meredith, Sector Support Coordinator 

The implementation of the aged care reforms and the Support at Home Program requires a period of bedding down to allow for teething issues to be resolved. This article looks at the impacts of the reforms on our clients and the extensive changes made by service providers to support them. 

The reforms created three distinct groups of clients. Firstly, the long-term grandfathered clients who are the least impacted by the changes. The hybrid group who are transitioning from home care packages into the Support at Home program and adjusting to new categories of care, the co-contributions scheme and deciding if they can afford the services they have been assessed for. Lastly, a new cohort of clients is entering the sector, learning its language, and budgets, and making informed decisions that will shape their long-term health and independence.  

As a result, providers now need to find varied ways to communicate and support these three distinct groups. What we have seen and heard is providers have spent hours with clients helping them to understand the new co-contribution scheme, and how funds are managed by Services Australia. They have delivered information sessions, produced fact sheets, and updated their websites. Timely, effective communication builds clients’ health literacy, ensuring they are informed and empowered when they need to seek higher levels of home care. Behind the scenes, case managers are working hard to continually support their clients and address their concerns on an ongoing basis.  

Providers who utilise volunteers have noted that the suite of mandatory training is expanding, adding extra pressure on to providers to ensure their volunteers are informed about the reform changes. A volunteers’ biggest impact comes from the social connections they create with older people, but they want to do it with no strings attached. These extra requirements are demanding more from volunteers than what they initially anticipated. So, providers now need to find a way to engage volunteers with the changes, that is not drowned out by overly complex compliance which is a big detractor for volunteers. Longer term this may have significant impacts on CHSP services who use volunteers as it already operates as a low-cost service. 

Meanwhile, government resources and guidelines are written in a way that the everyday Australian struggle to understand them forcing providers to become the governments default change agent. To remain aligned to the reforms, providers have had to adapt their communications to the three different client groups whilst creating highly flexible organisational strategies. A five-year organisational strategy that started in 2021 is not current enough to be useful to clients today and into the future.  

Client feedback is essential for continuous improvement and organisational growth, but traditional retrospective surveys are often ineffective. Meaningful insights can be gained by using future focused and client centred based surveys. Consumer Advisory Bodies are an effective tool and potentially allow for mystery shopping to occur which can help providers improve their service.  

Clients have said they prefer CHSP over Support at Home due to the costs of the co – contribution scheme even though providers are explaining costs vary depending on individual need as no two client scenarios are the same. However, most clients are willing to pay when they perceive value, and some providers have successfully increased value through packaging services supported by clear communications. For example, packaging an exercise class with coffee and social connections and explaining to the client the need for doing so.  

Discussion centred upon who influences clients’ perceptions of affordability. Is it the client, their friends or well-meaning family members. Without proper advice and support, clients may be susceptible to poor advice or even elder abuse. This is where care managers have oversight in identifying risks, monitoring family dynamics, and safeguarding client rights. 

Mapping the client’s journey alongside the provider’s journey can be valuable. Reviewing what the client is thinking, feeling, and doing provides useful data, especially during the complaints handling process. When things go wrong, clients deserve an apology from the provider and it is vital the client clearly understands you are apologizing and the reason for the apology.  

Perceptions of quality vary between clients, and Consumer Advisory Bodies can help providers understand what clients truly value. This along with the providers open disclosure and complaints handling process will help. Transparency is highly valued by clients when resolving a complaint, but this may be hidden within the back of house operations. 

As Commission led audits approach, providers can use the lead in time to prepare clients by explaining the process and potential questions. Regularly seeking client feedback and using the information strengthens the client-provider relationship, and transparency along with the overall value of your service. 

It creates an environment for genuine care partnerships to thrive, supporting clients to be actively involved in their care and increasing their autonomy.