If we want to make careers in elder care more appealing again, we need to take a new approach. Digitized workflows reduce pressure on staff and give them more time for what really matters: resident care. At Pflegeheim Zillertal, this modern way of working is already a reality. In this interview, Alexander Kreidl, Head of IT at the care home, shares how digital tools are improving daily work routines in the care sector. In Austria, demand for nursing staff has been growing for years. Whether in hospitals, long-term care homes, or mobile services, there’s a serious shortage of skilled professionals. By 2030, the country may be short of more than 76,000 caregivers. Action is needed to make elder care a more attractive work field again. Digitalization plays a key role in this effort: it eases the pressure on staff and gives them more time to focus on caring for residents.
Pflegeheim Zillertal is one of the organizations already leading the way in this area. The team uses medikit, a staff app that provides employees with all the key information they need for their daily work, right on their smartphones, wherever they are in the facility.
Alexander Kreidl, Head of IT at the care home, spoke with us about the decision to take this digital path.
Why is digitalization such a key topic in elder care?
I think it’s fair to say that hardly any industry today wants to miss out on the benefits of digitalization, so why should elder care be the exception? I see this shift toward digital tools as a major opportunity to improve the profession’s image and make it more attractive. And to be honest, with the documentation and communication challenges we face in care work today, digital tools are now indispensable.
Challenge
Fast, reliable communication with employees
What made you start looking for a digital communication tool?
The COVID-19 pandemic was a wake-up call for us. We realized we needed a better way to quickly communicate updates to our many internal and external staff. Our old analog systems just weren’t cutting it. We decided to improve our collaboration through digitalization. Free tools that didn’t meet data protection standards were no longer an option, what we needed was a communication platform that would make information transparent and easily accessible for our staff. That search led us to the staff app medikit.
Solution
An intuitive employee app
Digital applications are still in the early stages of adoption in care facilities. So what challenges are you facing?
Social trends are working in our favor: among younger staff members, it’s hard to find anyone who doesn’t already use digital tools in their personal life. For this tech-savvy generation, using an intuitive platform like medikit doesn’t present much of a hurdle. Among them there’s more openness to this kind of innovation. At the same time, there are team members who have been working in care for many years and are more used to analog processes. With these team members, it’s important to invest in proper onboarding and roll things out at a pace that doesn’t feel overwhelming.
Result
Happier residents, more satisfied staff
What ultimately convinces care staff are the real, everyday benefits a digital tool brings to their work. And with medikit, it didn’t take long for them to recognize the benefits. Our employees value being able to access information anytime, anywhere, and staying up to date on everything happening in the care home. We now have more time for what truly matters: caring for our residents. The team is also more satisfied, tasks that used to be tedious and paper-based can now be completed quickly and efficiently.
How can digitalization help address the staffing shortage in elder care?
I’m absolutely convinced that digitalization makes our work easier and helps encourage more young people to consider a career in care. At the end of the day, it’s the human connection that makes this job so meaningful. Digital tools give our staff the time and peace of mind they need to fully focus on what matters most: caring for people. If I can access everything I need for my work right from my smartphone, even while I’m in a resident’s room, it takes a huge amount of pressure off. And when I’ve checked off all my to-dos on the digital checklist in medikit, I know I haven’t forgotten anything. I save steps, I save time, and at the end of the day, I enjoy the work more.
