Digital advance care planning helps to ease the ambulance ramping crisis
Ambulance ramping cases have been described as the “canaries in the healthcare coalmine”, with escalating pressures on hospitals exposed by delays in the transfer of patients into emergency departments. In some instances, ambulances are “ramped” for hours outside hospitals, waiting for available beds, and the crisis is expected to continue as Australia’s population ages and […]
Touchstone’s data provides insights into Australians’ end-of-life wishes
Data matters. At Touchstone, our digital advance care planning platform is a unique repository of de-identified data on the end-of-life wishes of Australians.
Opening statement to the Senate Inquiry into the Aged Care Bill 2024
Touchstone founder CEO Dr Merran Cooper became emotional when she appeared at the Senate Inquiry into the new Aged Care Bill and spoke about some of the difficult moments she faced as a hospital physician when advance care plans were unavailable.
Touchstone calls for mandatory advance care planning in new Aged Care Act: Submission
Touchstone Life Care has called for the Commonwealth Government’s new Aged Care Act to mandate the use of digital advance care planning in its latest submission.
Over 60 but too young to fall? Think again…
Even if you think you are too young to be considered a falls risk- anyone over 60 should be maintaining or improving muscle strength, eating enough protein, and exercising for mental health.
The New Quality Indicators: Improving the Quality of Aged Care Services
The National Aged Care Quality Indicators Program is designed to provide transparency on the quality of aged care services in Australia.
Advance Care Directives: A digital solution for aged care
With many residents not indicating their preferences before becoming gravely ill, the absence of an advance care plan can result in rushed decisions when an emergency occurs.
Managed dying. The new palliative care?
Managed dying should be about shared decision making but it rarely is. It’s usually a doctor telling patients what the most conservative option is and why they should choose it.
Advance Care Plans: The Basics
When it comes to the subject of Advance Care Planning, for many it is a case of ‘There’s always time to do it later”, until it is too late. It often takes a life limiting – or threatening – illness/condition for people to really start planning for the end of their life. Ideally though, the […]
Advance Care Plans: Understanding ‘Power of Attorney’
One of the key steps when creating an Advance Care Plan is naming your Substitute Decision Maker (in some states/territories you may be entitled to appoint more than one). This is a general term which describes someone who has the legal power to make decisions on your behalf when you are no longer able to […]
