In this article, we will talk about all the features to look for in a home care CRM so you can be more confident and informed when choosing the best care management software for your home care agency.

What is a CRM Software?

CRM software stands for Customer Relationship Management and is a platform that allows you to easily connect different departments of your home care agency into a single system. From marketing to sales, to customer service, it allows all the data to be easily accessed by your team members, anywhere, anytime. Most agencies that use CRM software see a significant increase in their leads, sales, and customer retention.

When you compare CRM systems with the functionality of old analog systems, you will notice that they can significantly improve the way you connect with your customers and clients. With cloud computing, CRM software can be accessed whenever a user has an internet connection, taking your business operations to the next level, no matter the size.

What Are The Benefits Of A Home Care CRM Software?

Helps with Home Care Compliance Requirements

One of the first things we should mention is the compliance requirements imposed by HIPAA. HIPAA laws are a series of federal regulatory standards outlining the lawful use and disclosure of protected health information in the United States. These include correct and truthful payment requests, providing support that is in line with a participant’s plan and behaving ethically in financial dealings. With CRM software built specifically with home care requirements in mind, you won’t have to worry as much about these issues.

Better Quality of Care and Support 

When delivering home care or support to people, it’s essential to have a solid knowledge about them and their requirements. Having all the information about each client stored on the cloud makes home care CRM software a very powerful communication tool. It also allows you to save all activities, chat messages, email exchanges, and orders that each client has ever been involved in.

Better Communication with Home Care Clients

It’s unprofessional to make a client wait long periods for your reply. CRM systems streamline communications with your users, such as through live chat features, and can offer various customisable email templates, letters, quotes, and invitations to help you quickly craft and send out messages.

Protection of Data Privacy

The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act requires that providers protect clients' personal information. A HIPAA CRM software will also come in handy here as the cloud-based platform will store the information and clients’ documents safely and securely, making sure it can be shared instantly across the team for better decision-making processes.

What CRM Features Should I Look For?

1. Accessible Through the Cloud

One of the key features that CRM software should have is to be accessible through the cloud. That way, you will be able to keep all of the client records in one place or share internal notes with other team members without any geographical or time barriers.

2. Simple Invoicing

You should always look for software that keeps invoicing and funds management as simple as possible. If the software has integrated invoicing, billing, and expenses, you will spend much less time on paperwork. It’s good to look for home care software that updates prices automatically so that you will always charge the right amount without worrying about updates. Some platforms are also able to batch invoices together in a single automated claim, which can save a lot of time if you bulk invoice. 

3. Integration with Other Software

A good CRM platform should be able to integrate with leading accounting software such as Xero, or Quickbooks. It should allow you to automate approvals for instant processing and allow your team to instantly send you mileage and expenses. 

That way, you will be able to send timesheet details and even export invoice details to these accounting platforms and manage payments there.

4. Clients’ Record Management

Every client has a goal they are working towards - from tiny steps to big leaps! CRM software should let you track and measure the progress of your clients, and create a direct channel between your team and people closest to your clients.

By uploading care plans and care notes, you will keep your team constantly in the loop. As you collect details about your clients, they should be securely stored and accessible anytime. An ideal software will allow you to send instant messages to your clients and store communication history between your team and your clients. It’s also good to be able to add emergency contacts so that they are only a call away.

5. Care Notes

If the software allows you to make care notes, your business will be much simpler. Some programs will even come with a voice-to-text feature so that your team members can easily leave notes hands-free after shifts.

Since every client has different needs, it should be easy to create and customize a template for each client, and share it between team members. It’s also beneficial if you can also upload images and documents so that you can be completely confident in your compliance.

6. Document Management & Email Notifications

Keeping the records should be as easy as possible. Having your plans, team, and client information available anywhere and anytime, will save a significant amount of admin time each month. Good software will also allow you to set up automated email notifications to remind clients or team members when important documents are about to expire. That way, your team will stay compliant and audits will be less stressful.

7. Creating Quotes

Advanced CRM systems come with built-in quotes that can easily be emailed to clients and printed out as a PDF document. Most systems will allow you to convert the quote into an invoice in a single click.

8. Customisation Options

Most CRMs allow customization to a certain degree. However, the more customizable and flexible the CRM is, the more you can tailor it to your team’s needs to maximize efficiency in your operations. You should definitely consider factors such as your business size, organizational structure, working style, and type of support you provide when subscribing to CRM software.

Also think about whether the software will grow with your organization, and does it have the ability to integrate with the software your organisation already uses. It should also be able to incorporate desktop productivity tools.

9. Forecasting

Some home care CRM systems will generate predictions for future revenue based on past and current data. That way, the forecasting feature will allow you to make objective and informed decisions and predictions about upcoming quarters.

10. Effortless Record-Keeping

Home care agencies need to be able to keep track of the services they’ve provided to a client, including what happened before, during and after each shift. Your software should be able to keep a record of everything, such as care notes logged, client emails, or communication with the cares on the field. This allows for smoother handing over between carers and shifts, a more consistent level of care provided to the client, and easier tracking when incidents or complaints do occur.

Conclusion

Integrating a home care CRM software into your agency offers multiple advantages. However, finding the right software can be tricky and many often end up choosing one that either doesn’t meet all their needs or one that offers too many features that they cannot take advantage of. Before buying,  consider whether the software offers the features that we mentioned in tandem with your business’s unique needs. 

If you’re looking for trustworthy and reliable software, you can’t go wrong with ShiftCare. We also offer a 7-days free trial so that you will be sure of what you are paying for.