Information system supports a new ways of managing mental health

Deployment of a radically new form of information system for case management has enabled mental health services provider Richmond Fellowship Tasmania to achieve a range of financial and operational benefits that point the way to a new era in managing mental health.

Addressing delegates at a major disability services seminar in Sydney last week, Richmond Fellowship Tasmania CEO Danny Sutton said the VisiCase case management system represented a significant advance on conventional information systems.

“VisiCase has been deployed to support a new consumer-centric approach to mental health care which has the potential to significantly improve the planning and delivery of services in the sector at a lower cost to the community,” Mr. Sutton said.

VisiCase is developed by Australian company FlowConnect Pty Ltd.

“The new VisiCase system has already provided us with evidence where a more focused and better executed case management plan is assisting people with mental health challenges to achieve their wellbeing goals at lower cost for the consumer.

“The system provides a single plan for the consumer with a way of measuring outcomes that allows a support team to develop ideas and solutions for achieving the consumer’s goals and for tracking progress which ultimately saves time and money,” Mr. Sutton said.

As the system is web-enabled it allows the best possible support team to provide input from wherever there is an internet connection.

This means that Richmond Fellowship professional and staff can be working in the north of Tasmania with a team in Hobart to contribute professional support and advice on the development and review of consumer plans.

The other key benefit is that the system allows employees of Richmond Fellowship to manage the plans and to see real progress.

Mr. Sutton said “we have recently completed our three monthly consumer plan reviews using the system and I can see that consumers and staff are able to more clearly focus on their joint plans and more importantly can celebrate the successes of progress.

“This is an important advance in creating a positive and achievement-focused culture within RFT.

“In the longer term these innovative tools will provide the consumer with better outcomes at a lower cost to the community when compared to the current way services are planned and delivered,” he said.

About Richmond Fellowship Tasmania

Part of a worldwide organisation that supports members of the community suffering mental illness, Richmond Fellowship Tasmania (RFT) operates residential facilities and outreach services as well as a recreational program.  It’s a non-profit, non-government organisation without religious affiliation which currently provides care and services to more than 250 consumers across the state. For more information visit www.rftas./org.au

About FlowConnect Pty Ltd

FlowConnect Pty Ltd is an Australian based and owned company, established in 1994, which develops solutions focused on business process automation (BPA). Its flagship product, VisiCase, is a cloud-based service that supports the complex case management required in human care delivery, justice administration, and financial services. For more information visit www.flowconnect.com