For those outside Australia, the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) can provide an amazing lesson for healthcare businesses worldwide. The NDIS, established in 2013, set a legal framework to provide support and services to people with disabilities.
It is entirely publicly funded, not means-tested, and offers disability support based on individual needs through support packages tailored to each person’s goals and requirements. But why is something from Down Under an amazing lesson for all healthcare businesses? Here’s what healthcare businesses globally can learn from the NDIS:
A Person-Centered Approach
We often focus on metrics rather than addressing innate human needs. Prioritizing control and choice is essential, particularly in healthcare decisions, and developing personalized care plans based on specific needs and goals is critical.
This doesn’t mean we should avoid tools and software; in fact, there’s an abundance of NDIS software that supports this approach. We need to remember that patients or service users are at the center of their own care, and a person-centered approach, as demonstrated by the NDIS model, is pivotal in healthcare.
As time goes on, we start to lose the person within the process, and the focus becomes more and more on the numerous strands – the process becomes more important. We must never lose the individual and what they want. After all, we should be conducting our affairs based on what they desire.
Data-Driven Decision Making
We should always make decisions informed by the individual, and therefore, the right type of data collection and analysis is invaluable. By fully utilizing data, we can continually improve our service delivery and outcomes.
Data-driven decision-making is frequently heralded in business for many reasons, but the main one is because it focuses on the client’s or customer’s needs. In healthcare, understanding the real needs and costs allows us to inform our practice and policy, which ultimately improves service, which we pass onto the people that matter.
The Importance of Early Intervention
Healthcare providers often treat issues at later stages, but this approach is akin to “cutting off one’s nose to spite one’s face.” If we don’t prioritize early intervention, we risk addressing health issues only reactively.
Allocating resources to preventative care and early intervention strategies can significantly reduce long-term costs. For example, taking an educational approach and implementing programs targeting early childhood health and development can prevent compounded problems over time.
Technology Integration
We should strive to work smarter, not harder. Technology is redefining healthcare in many ways, and implementing comprehensive software solutions for billing, reporting, and patient management creates substantial benefits.
Many different departments need to communicate – patients, families, healthcare departments, and providers – which requires coordination that can consume hours, or even days, chasing one piece of support.
By streamlining service delivery and minimizing communication channels, healthcare businesses worldwide can create a more efficient and effective system.
The NDIS is an inspiring model for healthcare for adults with disabilities in Australia. By becoming more efficient and person-centered, healthcare businesses worldwide could see significant improvements in the quality of their services.
