The best care management software providers in 2024
When it comes to managing care, the right software doesn’t just make things easier; it transforms how care is delivered. From simplifying day-to-day tasks to ensuring every service user receives the personalised care they deserve, the impact is significant.
In this guide, we’re taking a close look at what care management software is, its key features, and how to choose the best option for your needs.
If you would prefer to jump to our best care management software list, please click here.
Table of Contents
What is care management software?
Choosing the right care management software is important for enhancing care delivery, ensuring efficiency, and upholding the highest standards of person-centred care. Here’s what the best care management solutions have in common:
Streamlining operations:
The best care management software simplifies complex processes, making daily tasks more manageable and reducing the time they take.
Safely storing confidential data:
The top solutions guarantee that all service user information is securely stored and easily accessible, enhancing both safety and privacy
Making communication and care delivery more efficient:
The leading care management platforms improve communication channels within teams and with service users, leading to enhanced care delivery.
What are the main features of care management software?
An exceptional care management platform provides features that cater comprehensively to the needs of care delivery, such as:
Care planning:
Enables the creation and real-time updating of personalised care plans, ensuring care is tailored to each individual’s needs, promoting a person-centred approach.
Roster:
Integrates intuitive tools for efficiently organising care visits, ensuring all service users are attended to without overburdening staff, thus optimising workforce management.
Reporting:
Facilitates the generation of interactive and shareable reports to uncover key insights and monitor care delivery, enhancing decision-making processes.
GP Connect:
Offers secure and efficient access to GP patient records, improving collaboration in care and ensuring that care decisions are informed and timely.
Electronic Medication Administration Record (eMAR):
Supports the safe administration of medicine and minimises errors through accurate tracking and alerts, enhancing medication management practices.
Friends and family portal:
Promotes transparency and trust among care receivers’ families and friends by providing them access to real-time care information, fostering an open and trustful relationship.
Finance:
Automates billing and invoicing processes, simplifying financial administration in care, which allows care organisations to focus more on care delivery than administrative tasks.
Want to explore each feature in more detail? Learn more by using our All Care Management Software Features page.
What to look for and how to choose the best care management software
When selecting the right software, consider the following key aspects:
NHS Assurance:
Look for an NHS Assured Solution that meets NHS standards to ensure safety and reliability. Compliance with these standards demonstrates a commitment to maintaining high-quality care services. We’ve compared the most popular care management solution below by level of compliance with the Digital Social Care Records Standards.
Return on investment:
Evaluate the efficiency of the software in terms of time and cost savings. Consider how the software’s features can improve operational efficiency and what those improvements mean for the quality of care provided.
You can use tools, like our GP Connect Cost and Time Saving Calculator, to work out the return on investment of key care software features.
Suitability and ease of use
Choose a solution that works for your setting. For example, home care agencies will have a significantly different set of needs and requirements compared to a residential care home. Ask the software supplier for evidence, such as case studies and testimonials, of how their solution has supported a service like yours.
Data protection:
The importance of service user confidentiality and secure data storage cannot be overstated. Choose a software that offers robust security measures to protect sensitive information.
Onboarding and Support:
Opt for a software provider that offers straightforward implementation and comprehensive support. 24/7 customer support and a smooth onboarding process are must-haves for ensuring that the software is used effectively.
Understanding these elements can significantly influence your decision-making process and ensure you choose a software that meets your specific needs.
Popular care management solutions, ranked and compared
With so many care management solutions available, we know that choosing between them can be overwhelming. To support you, we’ve compared some of the most popular solutions below by level of compliance with the Digital Social Care Records Standards to help you make an informed decision.
Did you know? Compliance with each of the Standards is now a mandatory requirement to be listed as an NHS Assured Solution.
PASS by everyLIFE | Access Care Planning | Birdie | OneTouch | Unique IQ | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Business Continuity and Disaster Recovery
| |||||
Clinical Safety | |||||
Commercial | |||||
Data Migration | |||||
Data Standards | |||||
About Me Standard (PRSB) | |||||
Personalised Care and Support Plan Standard (PRSB)
| |||||
Hosting & Infrastructure | |||||
Information Governance
| |||||
Non-Functional Questions | |||||
Testing | |||||
Interoperability | |||||
GP Connect | |||||
Email | |||||
Total | 🏆 14 out of 14 | 2 out of 14 | 9 out of 14 | 12 out of 14 | 1 out of 14 |
🏆 Best overall: PASS by everyLIFE
As the first and only care management software solution to meet all 14 NHS Digital Social Care Records Standards, PASS by everyLIFE is ranked as the number 1 solution for care compliance.
Number of DSCR Standards met: 14 out of 14
Summary: Launched in 2014, PASS by everyLIFE offers best-in-class care planning, reporting, rostering and finance features to care providers across the UK. PASS is easy to use, but powerful enough to support more than 84,000 carers from a wide range of settings, including home care, care homes, and community care.
PASS also offers unlimited 24/7 UK-based customer support and a fully managed data migration and onboarding service.
OneTouch Health
Number of DSCR Standards met: 12
Summary: OneTouch Health is a care solution that supports the management of care delivery needs, such as staff data, client data, rostering, and care plans. This platform also offers a reporting suite with dashboards.
Birdie
Number of DSCR Standards met: 5
Summary: A single platform solution for home care agencies. They support carers with features such as medication management, scheduling, and finance.
Access Care Planning
Number of DSCR Standards met: 2
Summary: Access offers a care management and planning desktop and mobile app. Their solution is used by home care agencies, as well as residential care providers and local authorities.
Unique IQ
Number of DSCR Standards met: 1
Summary: Unique IQ, a software company established in 2006, specializes in creating solutions that facilitate the management of mobile workforces, with a particular focus on the home care sector.
Care management software procurement checklist
Well done, you’ve made it to the end of the guide!
Before you start your procurement journey, we’ve put together this helpful checklist to guide care providers like yourself in their search for the right care management software. You can access it by clicking on the tab below.
Click here to open your care management software buying checklist
Understand your needs
- Identify specific challenges in your care delivery that you want the software to address.
- Determine which care settings (e.g., domiciliary care, care homes) the software needs to support.
Key features to look for
- Care planning capabilities for personalised care
- Efficient rostering/scheduling tools
- Comprehensive reporting features for insights and compliance
- Secure GP Connect access for better collaboration
- eMAR for accurate medication administration
- Family access features for transparency
- Financial management tools for billing and invoicing
Compliance and standards
- Ensure NHS England Assurance for safety and reliability
- 100% compliance with NHS Digital Social Care Records Standards
- Check for compliance with data protection regulations
Assess Return on Investment (ROI)
- Consider time and cost savings
- Evaluate potential improvements in care quality
Support and training
- Look for comprehensive onboarding support
- Check for 24/7 customer support availability
- Assess the availability of training materials and resources
User reviews and feedback
- Read reviews from current and past users
- Seek testimonials or case studies
Demo and pricing
- Request a demo to see the software in action
- Request pricing, including minimum term and added costs
Evaluate the vendor
- Research the vendor's reputation and longevity in the care management software market
- Consider the vendor's vision for future updates and support
Remember, our friendly team are always available to answer any questions you might have about care management software.
Thanks for reading,
The PASS team 👋
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Glossary of definitions
Here are some common acronyms and jargon that you might come across when searching for information on care management solutions:
API:
Application Programming Interface – A set of rules that allows different software entities to communicate with each other, facilitating integration between different software systems.
DSCR:
DSCR stands for Digital Social Care Record, such as an electronic care plan or care note. Learn more about DSCR systems here.
eMAR:
eMAR stands for Electronic Medication Administration Record – a digital tool used in care settings to document the administration of drugs, ensuring medication accuracy and safety.
GDPR:
General Data Protection Regulation – a regulation in EU law on data protection and privacy in the European Union and the European Economic Area, which also addresses the transfer of personal data outside the EU and EEA areas.
GP Connect:
A feature within some care management solutions that allows secure access to GP records to improve care coordination.
Interoperability:
The capability of different information systems and software to exchange, access, and cooperatively use data seamlessly, both within and across organisational boundaries, to improve the health outcomes of individuals and populations.
PRSB:
Professional Record Standards Body – develops clinical and related information standards to improve the quality of health and care services.
Article by:
Jessica Slattery, Digital Social Care Expert @ PASS
Jess and her team have worked with more than 1,200 social care businesses, providing expert advice on Digital Social Care Record (DSCR) systems, resulting in thousands of hours saved, improved CQC ratings, and better quality of care for the people they care about.
