Future-Proof Your Home Care Packages with Digital Care Management

As the countdown to the Support at Home Program continues, Home Care Package (HCP) providers across Australia are preparing for one of the most significant reforms in aged care in over a decade.

From 1 November 2025, Support at Home will replace both the Home Care Packages and Short-Term Restorative Care programs — introducing a more integrated, transparent, and outcome-driven funding model designed to support older Australians to live independently at home for longer.

For providers, this new model represents both a compliance challenge and a digital opportunity. The move to quarterly budgets, wellness and reablement-based care planning, strict service list categories, and tighter reporting obligations means paper processes and siloed systems will no longer keep pace.

To remain sustainable, providers will need to harness technology that simplifies complexity and strengthens compliance from day one.

What’s Changing Under Support at Home

Under the new framework, care delivery will be more structured and data-driven, with a focus on transparency and outcomes:

• Quarterly Budgets: Each participant will receive a quarterly allocation based on one of eight funding classifications. Providers will claim directly from Services Australia and issue monthly statements showing services delivered, participant contributions, and any unspent funds.
• Single Provider Model: One provider is responsible for managing all services, budgets, and compliance — even when using third-party associates.
• Mandatory Care Management: At least one care management activity must be delivered monthly, underpinned by reablement and wellness goals.
• Published Pricing: Providers must publish full, inclusive prices for all services on My Aged Care, with compliance oversight by the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission.
• Client Contributions: Participants will contribute to the cost of services based on means testing, replacing the current income-tested fee system.
• Evidence-Based Claiming: Every service claim must be supported by digital evidence such as care notes, clinical reports, or attendance logs.

These changes demand accuracy, visibility, and coordination — exactly where digital care management platforms like OneTouch Health come into play.

You can find out more in detail in our other blog article that talks about the Support at Home Update.

Why Digital Care Management Is Now Essential

The Support at Home model introduces an unprecedented level of administrative and governance responsibility for providers. A digital, integrated platform enables providers to meet these expectations while improving efficiency and client outcomes.

1. Centralised visibility and control
   With all client, staff, and service information unified in one platform, providers can manage care plans, budgets, and documentation in real time. This centralisation reduces duplication, prevents overspend, and ensures transparency across every service delivered.
2. Automated reporting and compliance
   Support at Home introduces strict reporting obligations, from monthly client statements to quarterly claims and published pricing. A digital care management system automates these processes, ensuring data is accurate, audit-ready, and aligned with the new Aged Care Act requirements.
3. Wellness and reablement built in
   The strengthened Quality Standards (Outcome 3.2 and 5.4) require providers to embed wellness and reablement in every aspect of care. With digital workflows, assessments, and care plans can automatically capture goals, progress, and outcomes, keeping reablement at the centre of service delivery.
4. Evidence-based claiming and care documentation
   The requirement to retain and, in some cases, submit care evidence (progress notes, signatures, or clinical records) means digital documentation is no longer optional. With OneTouch Health, carers can record visits, clinical notes, and updates directly from the mobile app, ensuring claims are supported, compliant, and complete.
5. Data-driven insight for sustainable operations
   Digital platforms provide real-time dashboards and analytics that help providers understand utilisation, staffing, and performance trends. These insights are essential for managing capped budgets, forecasting unspent funds, and identifying efficiency gains.

The McLean Care Experience: Building a Foundation for the Future

When McLean Care, one of NSW and Queensland’s leading aged care providers, transitioned to OneTouch Health, their goal was to simplify complexity and prepare for the coming reforms. By consolidating four disparate systems into a single digital platform, McLean achieved:

• Up to 50% reduction in rostering and scheduling time
• Elimination of payroll data amendments via digital timesheets
• Instant access to client records, assessments, and progress notes across teams
• Improved accuracy and compliance through automated workflows and audit trails

As McLean’s Director of Clinical Governance, Sarah van Dam, noted:

“We can create multiple user experiences — but it’s all connected to a single source of truth.”

This kind of digital integration doesn’t just improve today’s operations — it future-proofs providers for tomorrow’s regulatory environment.

Future-Proofing for Support at Home with OneTouch Health

OneTouch Health is purpose-built for Australia’s aged care sector, offering a fully integrated, cloud-based platform that combines:

• Real-time care management – from assessment to review
• Automated billing and claims – aligned with Services Australia requirements
• Open integrations – with medication systems, My Health Record, and allied health
• Mobile documentation – ensuring evidence of care at the point of delivery
• Configurable workflows – supporting wellness, reablement, and client goals

With the November 2025 reforms fast approaching, now is the time for providers to evaluate their systems, processes, and digital readiness. A modern platform like OneTouch Health doesn’t just help meet the new standards, it empowers providers to deliver better care, reduce risk, and thrive in the Support at Home era.

Ready to future-proof your organisation?

Book a demonstration to discover how OneTouch Health can help your team simplify compliance, improve efficiency, and deliver exceptional home care.