INNO: create innovations together
In the past, the focus of many public and private initiatives for digitalisation in the area of care was primarily on inventing technology and hardware, ranging from simple assistance systems to complex robotics. Many things have been developed and tested, and some innovations have already made their way into mainstream care provision. However, much less thought was initially given to concrete needs, useful services and social innovations.
The State Competence Center Digital Care would like to change that. And we would be happy to do so with you. For this purpose, we provide our own demonstration and test environments (innovation infrastructures) around the LebensPhasenHaus in Tübingen, connect the existing “Care and Skill Labs”, demonstration houses and future labs in the state or establish contact with them. We will also provide support in setting up innovation infrastructures, in refurbishing or new construction projects related to digitalisation. Together with you, we want to ensure that technological innovations grow into real, practice-oriented innovations.
NET: connecting competence
The aim is to dovetail digital assistive technology and human attention in a meaningful way. For example, continued digitalisation of care can, among other things, help to promote real interpersonal encounters by simplifying previously time-consuming processes — e.g., in the organisation of work, documentation and billing — and promoting new opportunities to provide personal assistance instead of replacing it. This also meets the wishes of the population. Surveys show that the vast majority of citizens perceive further digitalisation of care as a great opportunity and expressly welcome the increased use of digital applications.
In view of rising life expectancy, low birth rates and an already existing shortage of skilled workers, challenges in care will tend to increase in the future. This will put more pressure on not only family and friends who provide care, but also on the many professional service providers in the healthcare system: from care services and welfare organisations to hospitals and healthcare professionals in private practice, to long-term care insurance companies and pension funds, to administrative districts and municipalities. Care affects us all. Therefore, the State Competence Center Digital Care also promotes and supports knowledge transfer and capacity building throughout the state, both in our training rooms in Tübingen and directly on your premises.
EDU: educating and sharing knowledge
Although digitalisation has meanwhile also found its way into medicine and nursing, its use is still rather limited compared to other sectors. Yet numerous challenges in healthcare already necessitate both social and technical innovations. Reducing the burden on caregivers, increasing the time available for human attention, and promoting social contacts for people with care needs are just a few of them.
The State Competence Center Digital Care is a central point of contact for consultation, training and education services while at the same time acting as a networking hub across the state of Baden-Württemberg and beyond. In this way, interested parties and informal as well as formal caregivers have the opportunity to test various tools and solutions in real life and to get a first-hand impression of digital solutions. Together, all those involved will learn from each other so that digital services are useful and manageable for people with care needs and caregivers alike.
CON: empower through consultation
One of the primary goals of PflegeDigital@bw is empowerment – of both (formal and informal) caregivers and those receiving care – and strengthening the innovative capacities of all those organisations that are active in the field of long-term care in Baden-Württemberg. Fact is: on the one hand, the use of new and assistive technologies creates new possibilities for intervention and care of those in need of care, yet on the other, it sometimes requires a massive change in established work processes. This turns digital transformation in many organisations into a rather complex task, which can only be designed to a limited extent with ready-made solutions.
The added value of digitalisation projects in care is likely to be quite different for each organisation – depending on its size, the level of qualification of its employees, the type of organisation, the services it offers, its client base, and so on. This is where expert advice is needed. However, given the size of the task, this can only succeed if done collaboratively and with the help of the “train-the-trainer” concept. From developing competencies, to projects and organisational development: we are happy to provide you with competent advice.