ACCESS aged care intel | Bentleys Business Advisors

Aged care in Australia has experienced seismic events in recent times.

The impacts of the global pandemic – while felt on every level – served up an extra layer of challenge and risk for the aged care sector, and has left an indelible impression that will shape the future for operators.

In the same vein, the final report from the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety provided sobering perspectives on systemic changes required to transform the sector.

As a part of the Government’s response to the crises facing the sector, a five-year $17.7 billion aged care package was announced by Treasurer Josh Frydenberg in the handing down of the most recent federal budget – as ‘practical and targeted new funding to significantly improve the system’.

The funding will cover a range of initiatives and programs across residential aged care and home care – across five key pillars: home care programs, residential aged care sustainability improvements, residential aged care quality and safety, boosting and upskilling the aged care workforce, and strengthening governance and regional access. Funding for the different initiatives will be allocated on a pillar by pillar basis.

For aged care providers – the focus on transformative change
for the sector, coupled with new funding programs, means that
strategic planning for the future of aged care is
more important now than ever before.

How can you plan for the future of your aged care service?

There are already many providers who are innovating in order to grow in the new landscape of aged care – including through avenues such as acquisitions, divestments, new service development, bespoke programs around meal and care quality, and implementation of technologies.

Common threads across strategic planning – whatever the objectives – involve having an in-depth understanding of the customer, service needs and system-wide economics. The resources available to enable and drive this planning varies across providers. Some are resourced with internal business analysts who conduct analysis across areas such as demographics, health factors, and economic indicators. However, in many organisations – there is limited analytic support for strategic planning.

ACCESS that will drive your planning

To support providers with their strategic analysis, Bentleys has developed the Aged Care Census and Environment Scan at Scale (ACCESS) report. This innovative strategic planning tool is a pathway for gaining the insights needed to plan for the future.

The ACCESS report is a single-point-of-entry for Australian Bureau of Statistics, Department of Health, Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW), and Gen Aged Care Data. It also offers snapshots of pricing and other information for the network of providers in any selected geographical range – making it a valuable tool to guide decision making based on reliable market data.

The data analytics offered through the ACCESS report enable a deeper understanding of the key drivers for aged care service provision – including those that influence client uptake of, and satisfaction with, care services. Additionally, it helps providers to understand the economic, demographic, and social trends within the community. Deep understanding of potential residents is key to creating and delivering services matched to customer needs.

What does the ACCESS report cover?

The ACCESS Report filters data at Statistical Area 2 (SA2) level and aggregates data provided by the Australian Bureau of Statistics, Department of Health, Australian Institute of Health and Welfare and Gen Aged Care Data. The report acts as a dashboard that provides insights such as:

Pricing and features of aged care providers
Population forecasts
Aged care service usage and exits
Care needs for aged care residents
ACAR allocations
Census data including household profiles and marital status
Financial insights into income levels, superannuation income and private health insurance
Housing data and pricing
Cancer statistics and mortality rates

Across some data, filters can be applied at Statistical Area 2, Aged Care Planning Region or State level – offering a comprehensive view of the key drivers for aged care within your Serviceable Available Market.

ACCESS that will help you to understand the market

One of the core benefits of the ACCESS report is the insights that you can gain around your selected markets. The report serves up in-depth information (aggregated from My Aged Care and Gen Aged Care Data) about the pricing and features of services within chosen statistical areas. This intel will drive comparative analysis of your competitors and assist you to evaluate pricing gaps and opportunities.