The gongs keep rolling in for RMIT and Telstra Health researchers responsible for an electronic screening tool measuring risk of falls, depression and mortality in aged care.
An Australian-first electronic screening and prediction tool for monitoring deterioration in aged care residents is in the spotlight, taking out the Digital and Data Health Innovation award at the 2024 Health and Medical Research Awards, hosted by Research Australia.
Developed by researchers at RMIT University and Telstra Health in collaboration with the Digital Health CRC, the tool uses natural language processing and machine learning to regularly monitor data from residents’ electronic health records and evaluate it against 36 evidence-based markers of deterioration, including risk of falls, mental illness such as depression and overall mortality risk.
Results for each resident are displayed on a digital dashboard, allowing staff to track both individual performance and larger trends in health deterioration among residents as a whole.
RMIT project lead and data scientist Dr Tabinda Sarwar highlighted the capacity for individual RACF providers to fit the tool to suit their needs rather than offering one homogenous solution.
“This project wasn’t a one-size-fits-all approach,” Dr Sarwar said.
“We had to consider the specific needs of each facility and that is what makes this achievement so significant.”
According to Dr Monica Trujillo, chief health officer at Telstra Health, the tool marked a “crucial step forward” in uplifting safety and quality of care across residential aged care
“[This award] underscores our commitment to transforming safety and quality in aged care and reflects the hard work of our partners at RMIT and the Digital Health CRC, who share our vision of using innovative technology to proactively identify health deterioration in frail residents,” Dr Trujillo said.
“By harnessing natural language processing and machine learning, we are not only improving resident outcomes but also supporting care providers with actionable insights to make timely, life-saving decisions.”
The tool has previously been tested for efficacy and real-world performance with several clinical validation and usability studies, with one previous analysis using historical patient data indicating its potential to improve health and quality of life outcomes for more than 60,000 aged care residents.
It was also announced as the winner of the Award for Impact at the Excellence in Innovation showcase for translational research and industry-research collaboration, hosted earlier this year by Cooperative Research Australia.
DHCRC CEO Annette Schmiede said the recognition at multiple awards ceremonies was tribute to the labour and commitment displayed by those involved in the tool’s development.
“Being recognised … is a true testament to the hard work and dedication of all those involved to address one of the most significant challenges in Australia,” she said.
“Caring for Australia’s rapidly ageing population, even in one of the best healthcare systems in the world, has its challenges. Innovative digital health tools, like the one developed by RMIT and Telstra Health, can ensure that aged care residents receive timely, personalised care and reduce the incidence of stressful and costly emergency interventions.”
More information on the winners of the Australian Health and Medical Research Awards is available here.