Over the past few years, Homestyle, an aged care provider serving communities in Melbourne and Geelong, dealt with the herculean task of meeting the twin demands of sectoral reforms and adapting to the global pandemic. 

In 2021, the Royal Commission on Aged Care published its report calling for the digitalisation of the aged care sector which was lagging in using modern technologies. This includes the use of digital and remote technologies, the uptake of which accelerated since social restrictions were in place.

To fulfil this call, Homestyle embarked on a digital transformation journey toward a hybrid IT ecosystem. 

"Homestyle [chose] to run a low touch or hybrid IT department. That means that we have outsourced some of our requirements to third parties. This includes WAN, managed services, engineering, network and cyber support. We retain operations and analytics in-house," CIO Peter Gunn told Healthcare IT News. 

Underpinning its IT ecosystem is a managed service run by a single provider, consolidating end-user support across its workforce, homes, and support office. 

"We utilise Interactive (a local IT service provider) for support desk, network support, engineering, cyber, and some project work."

This also includes on-site support, as well as support for cloud migration and regulatory alignment, which the federal commission heavily emphasised. 

Single or multiple providers?

For three decades, Homestyle, which has been delivering care through 10 homes with over a thousand and a half staff, stood by its philosophy of "holistic residential aged care in an environment of caring, compassion and respect."

To free up time that could be better spent on providing its core services, contracting managed IT services was the way to go for the organisation. 

"The objective is to provide Homestyle with a responsive support mechanism that allows the 24/7 business to function to its full capability. This provides our staff and the residents we care for with the best possible outcomes," Gunn shared.

Whether it comes from one or more providers, compatibility is paramount, at least to Homestyle, in availing managed IT services. 

"Outsourcing IT service management to a single [provider] can benefit aged care providers in Australia by centralising operations, reducing costs, enhancing data security, ensuring compliance with regulations, and offering 24/7 support. It allows aged care providers to focus on core services while accessing specialised IT expertise."

Peter Gunn, CIO, Homestyle

"However, there are risks such as vendor lock-in, service gaps, and dependency on a single provider. Choosing the right partner for managed IT services is the biggest challenge. Ensuring the provider understands aged care needs, having strong service agreements, and considering a hybrid approach may mitigate risks and provide more flexibility."

In their digital evolution, Gunn said they never neglect cybersecurity, especially in such times when breaches and hacks are becoming more sophisticated and targeted. 

"Homestyle continues to invest in data and cyber security to ensure our environment is stable and protected. We focus on enhancing our data security through improved security protocols, encryption and monitoring to reduce the potential for breaches, protecting both the organisation's intellectual property and resident information. Continual review and monitoring of our security posture allows Homestyle to build trust in our systems and ensure regulatory compliance."