Mar 2019: Combining care expertise with tech innovation

Baycroft staff all use KareInn, an app designed to make adult care safer and more efficient. We spoke to KareInn’s CEO, Rachelle Mills, to find out more.

A vital part of care involves keeping precise and detailed records for each individual.

As Rachelle explains, almost 80% of all care homes still operate entirely off paper. But paper records can take up as much time as they do space, filling up staff hours unnecessarily. It’s important work, but it could be done more efficiently.

This is where KareInn comes into play.

“The app is designed to make the day-to-day reality of adult care more efficient, by keeping a patient’s records in one digital place”, Rachelle says. Staff can communicate on the app, make notes on a patient’s progress or needs, and coordinate care all via the same platform.

Understanding the reality of care

John Lanyon, who founded KareInn four years ago and now sits on the board of directors, has personal experience as a carer. Having cared for family members while in his early twenties, he grew to understand both the needs of a carer and the implications of a dementia diagnosis on families.

He became one of the youngest people to play a key role in the Alzheimer’s Society, and he is still a member of its Research Network.

In his work with the society, John realised that some of the best research doesn’t reach the frontlines of care fast enough. It became clear to him that there was room for a method of supporting care homes and getting access to research much sooner than usual – and he founded KareInn to do just that.

Making necessary process safer

Rachelle points out that from a management perspective, having a patient’s information and notes in one place that’s accessible to all carers is vital. “It streamlines the process and makes the residence more efficient: which in turn means that resident safety is secured”, she says.

The app rules out the possibility of a disconnect between a care plan and its implementation. Junior staff can check the app for care information, and add details to it as often as needed to keep a clear track of the resident’s health.

This all said, Rachelle is unequivocal on the fact that KareInn isn’t designed to replace nurses. The team in the home is still best placed to deliver care. With the app, though, staff can coordinate care so that every part of the process is recorded efficiently.

Rachelle Mills 

Looking ahead

In its early stages, KareInn was part of the competitive Google Residency Program designed for growth-stage start-up businesses. The digital expertise and design that helped to build the app has provided a strong foundation for growing KareInn’s tech offering in the future, too.

KareInn’s success comes from its ability to combine digital skill with a team who understand the complexities of adult care. The team is constantly in conversation with Baycroft to find out what’s needed in the sector and in the homes – and where best to focus attention.

So Rachelle and the KareInn team have a good idea of where they can most usefully take the app’s tech offering. At the moment, the team are working on building artificial intelligence (AI) into the technology, making KareInn one of the first care platforms in the UK using AI to boost its service.

“The new technology has the ability to look at individuals uniquely, rather than as the sum of their medical statistics,” Rachelle explains. “It can predict whether something might be wrong, and is able to spot anomalies in patterns of health”. The tool could help nurses by recommending a check, if it notices something worrying or unexpected.

Baycroft staff and medical teams are always at the forefront of care, and best placed to look after your loved ones. Their work is made more efficient, and safer, by using the kind of intuitive and innovative tools that KareInn offers.