Simplifying progress notes will free up valuable time that your staff can instead invest in service delivery and other important tasks. And it will ensure that all progress notes meet your requirements for NDIS compliance.

The Benefits of Simplifying Progress Notes

Progress notes are an essential part of providing quality support, as well as ensuring NDIS compliance. By simplifying the process, you’ll see:

Better Care

With real-time access to critical information, your team will be better positioned to track progress towards client goals, deliver quality NDIS services and make informed support decisions. They’ll have the critical information they need for excellent service delivery.

Greater Efficiency

Manually writing progress notes can be time-consuming. Working with poor-quality progress notes can be even more time-consuming as your team has to double-check details with coworkers. By simplifying the process and improving quality standards, you’ll free up valuable time for your staff.

Improved Documentation

The more complicated the process, the greater the probability of mistakes, whether due to human error or confusion. Simplifying progress notes will ensure they’re correctly written, helping you demonstrate compliance with the requirements of the National Disability Insurance Scheme. 

Happier Support Workers

A simpler progress notes system means less stress and greater work satisfaction for your team. They’ll feel fulfilled when they can focus on delivery supports rather than filling out paperwork.

How to Simplify Progress Notes in 4 Easy Steps

Writing a concise, quality progress note can be a challenging task. But with these four steps, you'll simplify the process for your support and care providers.

1. Use a Disability Support Worker App

A lot can go wrong when your team has to manually write and share progress notes, whether it's due to human error or tech failures. Your staff could forget to click "save" or "send". They might decide to fill in their progress notes at the end of the day, by which time they’ve forgotten key details. Or their device could be damaged before they've had time to share the progress note.

Even if nothing goes wrong, you're adding unnecessary extra steps to the process. It's more time consuming, complex and frustrating for staff.

Instead, look for NDIS software with a dedicated cloud-based app for your frontline staff. This will ensure they not only have real-time access to clients' details, but that they can write and upload progress notes on the go.

They'll be able to upload documentation straight away, while the details are fresh in their memory. And you'll never have to worry about a stolen or damaged device leading to lost medical records.

2. Build Client-Specific Templates

Good progress notes include numerous details, from clinical assessments to changes in the client's well-being. Rushed staff members can overlook key details, which is why templates are an essential feature of NDIS software.

By setting a template, you'll ensure that your team includes all critical information in their progress notes. And, you’ll reduce the time they need to spend thinking about what to include.

You’ll be able to create a replicable standard for your progress notes, and in doing so, improve quality levels while saving your care workers time.

Plus, you can use your NDIS software to set specific templates for different client groups. In doing so, you’ll ensure more personalised support.

3. Enable Voice-to-Text Progress Notes

Some of your team might be fast texters and typers. They might prefer to use their smartphone keyboard for writing progress notes. 

Others, however, may find voice-to-text software more user-friendly. It can allow them to write progress notes more quickly. It will also enable them to multi-task, e.g. by recording blood pressure readings at the same time as taking measurements.

By using NDIS software with voice-to-text as well as standard typing features, you’ll ensure your workers have the tools they need to efficiently and accurately record progress notes.

4. Provide Training, Documentation & Feedback

No matter how good your NDIS software is, it’s no replacement for supportive management. Help your team write better progress notes by providing clear documentation, training and regular feedback.

You can upload guides to your NDIS software so it’s easy for team members to review them. Training can take the form of a video tutorial or slideshow if you want to automate the process. Just make sure your team knows who to address questions to.

As for feedback, you can use your NDIS software to send in-app or SMS messages. Let your staff know what they’re doing well, along with how they can improve.

Progress Notes Made Easy

Your team relies on clients’ progress notes in order to deliver quality care and support. And for your clients and their loved ones, progress notes provide valuable insight into the client’s health, well-being and capacity. They demonstrate the advances being made in achieving goals, as well as giving reassurance that the client is receiving the support they need.

The right tools will enable your team to write better progress notes: ones that are precise, professional and give a detailed picture of a client’s condition and support. What’s more, these tools will help them write progress notes in minutes.

ShiftCare’s care management software will support your NDIS business as you manage client services, your workforce and your business. Its NDIS integrations include NDIS funding management, pricing arrangements and bulk billing. It also comes with key features such as advanced rostering features, accounting integrations and the ability to track travel time, expenses and more.

The document management system will help you add, update and control access to everything from support plans to progress notes. And with our dedicated app for support workers, your team will be able to add progress notes and incident reports on the go.

Discover how the right tools will enable your team to improve the quality of the progress notes. Try ShiftCare for free.