Examining the Utilisation of Mobile Handheld Devices at an Australian Aged Care Facility

The Australian health care system is under increasing pressure to enhance the efficiency, effectiveness and range of the services it provides to increasing numbers of people at a time when available resources are limited. As a result the Australian government has identified the increased use of information and communication technologies (ICTs) as a major solution to address these issues and has initiated programs to support their deployment. By providing increased information access, cost effectiveness and improved information delivery, update and evaluation, the economic case for more ICTs is strong. However, this deployment also raises a number of technical, organisational and end-user challenges. With an ageing population, the aged care sector is now in the front-line of these pressures and is facing a situation where spiralling care costs are compounded by a shortage of suitably qualified staff and a demand for services that far outstrips supply. At present the sector is predominantly paper-based with its revenue generation directly linked to the quantity and quality of the documentation it provides to the government on car