ITAC 2016 Update

The Aged Care Industry IT Company (ACIitC) is proud to continue to support the event of ITAC.
ITAC is now in its tenth year and has become the premier event for technology and innovation in aged and community care.
This year’s ITAC and its diverse range of speakers and presentations highlights the important role technology is playing in empowering care and services.
A tremendous effort has been made by the band of volunteers on the ITAC Committee over the years to see the event grow from strength to strength. The ACIitC Board would like to acknowledge these volunteers for their efforts and particularly note the leadership of Rod Young over the past ten years.
Our thanks go to other committee members who contribute regularly to ensure that the conference is targeted and grows.

Our thanks go to
George Margelis
Anne Livingstone
Graeme Wickenden (Awards Chair)
Katrina Doney
Craig Porte
Irene Mooney
Lachlan Bakewell
Jacqueline Murkins
Daniel Pettman
Suri Ramanathan
Bart Williams
Stephen Midson
Luke Greive
Glenys Webby
Jane Murray

ACIitC is organising a significant event the day before the conference. We have invited key stakeholders related to the work we are progressing on the development of a Technology Roadmap for Aged Care. Australian Ageing Agendas readers would have seen our previous articles on the development of a national road map identifying the technological requirements for a sustainable and robust future aged care system. This work is aimed to build on and to compliment the work that the Aged Care Sector Committee on developing an Aged Care Sector Roadmap earlier this year.

In the nine domain areas identified in the Aged Care Sector Roadmap, the ACIitC is interested in defining the technological requirements to allow the aged care sector in Australia to be in a position that will allow it to transform its business operations. This transformation will meet the objectives of the Roadmap in an effective and efficient way. This work is also referencing a number of new standards that have been introduced recently including the Digital Service Standard 2016 and international work being carried out by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO). This work includes the Framework for Integrated Community-based Life-long Health and Care Services in Aged Societies.

It is widely recognised that a range of technologies will provide the Aged Care sector with key efficiencies and allow service delivery to be individually tailored in a more consumer and market driven model. Technological innovations are viewed as keen enablers for the aged care sector to remain sustainable and to improve performance as well as quality. Further, it is recognized that this may be in the form of already developed technologies or new and emerging technological endeavours.

In this work the ACIitC is keen to explore the impact and need for these technologies in a contemporary aged care environment. It is hoped that this work will explore the technological developments and impact which might span across operational, productivity, workforce, consumer drivers, economical improvement, compliance, and quality elements.

The ACIitC has a key objective that this work will provide a clear and concise mapping of the technological requirements for the sector and that the final product will complement the existing sector Roadmap. The work may also explore key technological impacts and needs that were not detailed in the original sector Roadmap.

Readers will note that ACIitC produced a Vision for Technology in Aged Care in 2014 and this work is seen as a document that will inform and be a companion to the development of a Technological Roadmap.

The key aims of this work will be to provide the sector and the ACIitC:
The provision of a summary of key global research and quantitative evidence currently available in respect to technological deployment and advancement in the aged care sector,

• Facilitating a consultative process with the ACIitC Board and its Committees to canvass a range of views and consider these in the project outcomes,
• Detailed requirements of technological advancement and adoption required to meet the obligations and outcomes, as outlined in the Sector Road Map nine key domain areas,
• The short ,medium and long term considerations required to position the sector for the most appropriate uptake and deployment of technology,
• Detailed recommendations of funding requirements in respect to technology for the sector including identification and detailing of what other funding/regulation changes are needed to enable mainstream adoption of technology across the industry, and
  Identification of any key issues or considerations in respect to technology which emerge from the project and that may not have been detailed in the sector Roadmap.

As this article goes to print a Project Reference and Management Group has been established of the ACIitC Committee Chairs Anne Livingstone, Gavin Tomlins and Rod Young. This group is currently shortlisting applications to the recent tender. Significant interest was gained for this project from a range of national and international groups. These applications have come from a very highly qualified field with experience in areas of significant relevance to this project and we expect a highly competitive undertaking.

A feature in this year’s sessions will be a consultation with key stakeholders for this project. This will be held in-conjunction with ITAC 2016. Anyone interested in finding more about this consultation or providing input into the Technology Roadmap work should contact the ACIitC via Techroadmap@aciitc.com.au.
The Board and Committee Chairs will be in attendance and presenting on various aspects of our work at ITAC. We look forward to catching up with you at this important event.

For more information on the Aged Care Industry IT Company please go to our website www.aciitc.com.au.