On 21 October 2025, THREEDIGITAL hosted a webinar exploring what digital maturity really means for Australian home care providers. The session, led by Managing Director Glenn Payne, brought together executives, care managers, and operations leaders to unpack where the sector sits today and how organisations can practically move up the digital maturity scale.

Setting the scene: why digital maturity matters
Glenn began by grounding the discussion in the realities of home care today: rising demand from an ageing population, tighter margins under reform, workforce shortages, and growing client expectations for digital-first services. With over 825 providers now competing in the sector, keeping pace with technology is no longer optional — it’s essential for survival and growth.

Defining digital maturity
Digital maturity was described as an organisation’s ability to deliver care, operate efficiently, and adapt continuously through technology. It is not a one-off project but an ongoing journey across three dimensions: technology, people, and processes. The journey starts with digitising paper and spreadsheets, moves through system integration and automation, and culminates in advanced data-driven innovation like predictive analytics and AI.

Benchmarking the sector
Insights from THREEDIGITAL’s maturity survey, with over 100 home care organisations participating, revealed that more than 60% of providers are still operating at the lowest tiers of maturity. Fewer than 25% have integrated systems across finance, HR, payroll, rostering, and CMS, and most still rely heavily on manual processes and siloed spreadsheets. Security is inconsistent, with only around 40% of providers using MFA or single sign-on. Innovation is rare, with fewer than 10% experimenting with AI or predictive analytics.

Case study: rapid transformation in action
The webinar highlighted a case study of a growing provider that began at Level 1 (Foundational) but moved rapidly through the maturity model to reach Level 4 (Optimised) within 12 months. By eliminating operational spreadsheets under a “spreadsheet amnesty,” integrating systems, and investing in dashboards and real-time analytics, The provider achieved a 30% reduction in admin time, improved staff satisfaction, and enhanced client engagement.

Practical next steps
Glenn outlined clear steps for providers wanting to progress:

• Know where you stand through self-assessment

• Secure board and executive endorsement, with allocated budget and resources

• Map current processes and prioritise quick wins

• Invest in system integration and workforce engagement

• Partner with experts to stay accountable, avoid reinventing bad processes, and adopt best practice

• Re-test maturity levels regularly and celebrate wins along the way

Key takeaway
Digital maturity is a journey, not a destination. Organisations cannot leap from Level 1 to Level 5 overnight. But by building a structured roadmap, engaging leadership, and investing in people and processes alongside technology, providers can gain efficiency, strengthen compliance, improve client trust, and build the competitive advantage needed to thrive in the future of home care.