Platform to improve delivery of home care in NS

HALIFAX – A new provincial technology platform will better connect the home care sector to support front-line staff and provide quality care, faster for Nova Scotians. The platform will connect all publicly funded home care agencies with Nova Scotia Health’s Continuing Care program, enhancing information sharing and co-ordination to support those delivering and receiving home and community care services.

“Our government has made significant progress across healthcare. Today’s announcement is another step forward to improve home care for the tens of thousands of Nova Scotians who rely on it. Already, the number of people waiting for home care and staff vacancies are at record lows,” said Barbara Adams (pictured), minister of seniors and long-term care.

“We are building on our progress with this new platform, which will improve co-ordination, support better transitions home from hospital, and reduce paperwork and administrative burden. This will make sure staff have the tools they need to make their job better.”

Expected to be live in mid-2027, the platform will allow for faster, more efficient scheduling, and people receiving care and their families will be able to view upcoming appointments.

Real-time access to information will allow home care staff and the Continuing Care team with Nova Scotia Health to connect client assessments and care planning more directly with scheduling and delivery of these services. It will immediately show cancelled appointments, ensuring open spots are rebooked quickly, which will improve efficiency and increase the number of people receiving care.

AlayaCare Inc., a Canadian technology company specializing in cloud-based solutions for home and community care, will design and implement the new platform. It will cost about $19 million over the next five years – $3.69 million in the first year, $4.42 million in the second and $3.77 million per year from 2028 until 2030.

About 40,000 Nova Scotians receive support through provincial home care programs, including home nursing and support, nursing care in community clinics, equipment and funding programs.

Expanding access to home care with investments in technology is part of Action for Health, the Province’s strategic plan to improve healthcare.

“This is another milestone in Nova Scotia’s work to transform and evolve home care, and we are proud to partner to provide a unique platform that brings a full digital experience for the employees, modernizes assessments and sets up the first digital referrals for the sector. As a Canadian company, our objective is always to improve the experience of patients and employees across the country, and we get there by eliminating outdated processes through advanced technology that is innovative and user-friendly,” said Adrian Schauer, CEO, AlayaCare.

Continuing Care at Nova Scotia Health manages the intake, assessment and care planning for people who need home care and support; these services are delivered by publicly funded home care agencies throughout the province.

Most publicly funded home care agencies in Nova Scotia already use AlayaCare technology to manage delivery of home care services or will by the time the platform is live.

Several provinces, including Prince Edward Island, use the AlayaCare platform to manage home care services.