Big Room Planning - May 2025
Big Room Planning - May 2025
Date: May 2025 Type: Product Team Big Room Planning Session Duration: 60-90 minutes
Executive Summary
- Build an all-in-one, scalable care management platform that serves recipients, coordinators, providers, and internal staff with clear, compliant workflows
- SAH (Support at Home) reforms materially change pricing, budgeting, and claims—our product and operations need to align ahead of transition
- Immediate focus: SAH core workflows (budgets, statements, invoices, claims), coordinator economics/UX, and recipient/admin portal improvements
- Change management: New agreements, clear migration communications, and in-portal execution
1. Product Strategy & Goals
Mission
An easy-to-use, end-to-end care platform that supports:
- Assigning providers to budgets
- Tracking spend/statements
- Note-taking
- Compliance
- Staff and rates management
- Billing
Current Scale
- 10,000+ Recipients
- ~200 Coordinators
- ~10,000 Service Providers
- ~300 Internal Staff
Strategic Aim
Build competitive advantage through tech-enabled operations and streamlined software stack.
Ecosystem Considerations
- Aircall
- Xero
- Microsoft Suite
- Employment Hero
- Zoho CRM
Business Goals: Build Competitive Advantage
| Goal | Competitive Advantage Created |
|---|---|
| Operational efficiency (AI-enabled CRM → 60% GP) | Lower cost of labour ~60% Gross Profit; harder for higher-cost rivals to match |
| Reduced SaaS dependency | Cuts per-user fees ⇒ deeper control over roadmap vs vendor lock-in. Bespoke and built for us |
| Regulatory agility (e.g., Support@Home) | “Robustness” to shift in regulatory. Software ‘sets like concrete’ |
| Data-driven decision-making | Quicker, evidence-backed pivots. Better validation and access to data. AI Overlay |
| Risk management via data | Trends; Being Preventative vs Reactive. Industry Leading |
| Compliance & security | Health Care Industry. Strengthens Trust and Governance of Sensitive Information |
| Scalability & performance | Ability to Scale and Grow into the Market Leader position |
| Modular / Integration | Faster roll-ups & partnerships; lets you “plug-in” new providers before rivals can |
| Beautiful user experience | Differentiation that drives retention, word-of-mouth, and premium positioning |
| Self-service capabilities | Scales support without head-count; raises switching costs as users embed workflows |
2. Where We Are Now: Usage & Feedback
Portal Usage Data
- 40% of portal access via mobile
- 10% Coordinators
- 10% TC Employees
- 65% Representatives
- 25% Recipients
What Users Like (Positive Aspects)
- Respect shown by workers - Highest average rating
- Staff kindness - Highly appreciated caring attitude
- Communication - Prompt email communication, staff genuinely care
- Reliability - Dependable service delivery
Top Improvement Areas
From Recipient CSAT Survey
- Accounts and Reimbursements (20.5%) - Delays and inefficiencies in financial processes
- Timeliness of Information (18.0%) - Delays in receiving necessary information
- Call Experience (14.6%) - Communication clarity and customer service quality
- Inconsistent Communication Quality (11.7%) - Inconsistent or poor communication from staff
From Administrator Portal Survey (26 respondents, Dec 2024)
- Overall satisfaction: 3.46 out of 5
- Ease of use: 3.79
- Helpfulness in completing work faster: 3.21
- Ease of navigation: 3.46
- Satisfaction with support: 3.63
Areas for Improvement:
- All bills in the portal to prevent navigating two platforms
- Action lists - what bills to action first
- Recipient/Coordinator self-serve features (profile management, invoice comments, budget requests)
- Note taking, auto save notes and question templates
- Improving screen compatibility for smaller laptops
- Slowness, loading and search
From Recipient Portal Feedback (23 responses, Dec 2024)
Live Chat ⭐
- Request for live chat functionality
- Instant questions feature not as useful as live chat
- Pop-up window duplication of email functions
Account Info ⭐
- CSV export for transactions no longer available
- Need flexible financial analysis in Excel
- Portal doesn’t actively show current position
- Need payment pending list to track invoice processing timeline
- Account screens don’t show all details on mobile
Profile Info ⭐
- Phone number not listed correctly
- Personal details showing incorrect
- Essential that info from HCP assessment teams transfers accurately
CSAT Score Comparison (967 SM vs 391 SM+)
| Metric | 967 SM | 391 SM+ | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Support Services Availability | 8.2 | 8.7 | +0.5 |
| Communication Satisfaction | 7.9 | 8.6 | +0.7 |
| Support Level | 7.9 | 8.6 | +0.7 |
| Staff Kindness | 8.4 | 9.0 | +0.6 |
| Call Experience | 7.9 | 8.3 | +0.4 |
| Timeliness of Information | 7.7 | 8.5 | +0.8 |
| Respect Shown by Workers | 9.1 | 9.4 | +0.3 |
| Staff Explanation Clarity | 8.1 | 8.5 | +0.4 |
3. Recent Portal Releases Highlights
Completed/In Progress
- 100% Invoices in the Portal + Artificial Intelligence
- Recipient Portal - Pending Transactions feature
- Budget Proposals functionality
Technology Stack
- Microsoft Azure
- OpenAI
4. Support at Home (SAH) - Industry Context
Why It Matters
“Once in a Lifetime” reform - Most significant shift in Australia’s home care sector in decades, reshaping pricing, revenue, and regulatory norms.
Key Statistics
| Metric | Details |
|---|---|
| 1.4M Participants | 1.4 million older Australians will benefit from the program |
| 300k New | 300,000 additional people will receive support by 2034-35 |
| $78,000 Max Subsidy | Maximum individual funding increased from $61,440 to $78,000 per year |
| $9 Billion | Estimated $9 billion+ in annual government funding for home care |
| 2027 Consolidation | CHSP will transition in 2027 under new funding & service models |
| 50% Co-Payments | New co-payment model based on service type & means-testing |
| 15-25k Additional Funds | End-of-Life Pathway: $25,000; AT-HM: Up to $15,000 per client |
| Quarterly Rollover | Quarterly funding allocations held by Services Australia, limiting rollover |
Budget Types - New vs Grandfathered
Existing Home Care Packages (Grandfathered)
| HCP Level | Quarterly Funding | Annual Funding |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $2,708 | $10,833 |
| 2 | $4,762 | $19,049 |
| 3 | $10,365 | $41,460 |
| 4 | $15,713 | $62,853 |
New or Re-assessed Packages
| Support Classification | Quarterly Indicative Funding* | Annual Indicative Funding* |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | ~$2,750 | ~$11,000 |
| 2 | ~$4,000 | ~$16,000 |
| 3 | ~$5,500 | ~$22,000 |
| 4 | ~$7,500 | ~$30,000 |
| 5 | ~$10,000 | ~$40,000 |
| 6 | ~$12,000 | ~$48,000 |
| 7 | ~$14,500 | ~$58,000 |
| 8 | ~$19,500 | ~$78,000 |
*Final classification dollar values to be confirmed
Additional Pathways
| Pathway | Funding Amount* | Funding Period |
|---|---|---|
| Restorative Care | ~$6,000 | 12 weeks |
| End-of-Life | ~$25,000 | 12 weeks |
Assistive Technology & Home Modifications
| Funding Tier | Funding Allocation* |
|---|---|
| Low | Up to ~$500 |
| Medium | Up to ~$2,000 |
| High | Up to ~$15,000 |
Contribution Changes
New Packages - Contribution Rates
| Category | Service Type | Full Pensioner | Part Pensioner/CSHC Holder | Self-Funded Retiree |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clinical Care | Allied Health, Nursing, Nutrition, Care Management, Restorative Care | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| Independence Services | Personal Care, Social Support, Therapeutic Services, Respite, Transport, AT-HM | 5% | 5% to 50% (income/assets based) | 50% |
| Everyday Living Services | Meals, Domestic Assistance, Home Maintenance | 17.5% | 17.5% to 80% (income/assets based) | 80% |
Note: $130,000 lifetime contribution cap applies to contributions in S@H and non-clinical residential care
Grandfathered Packages - Contribution Rates
| Category | Service Type | Full Pensioner | Part Pensioner/CSHC Holder | Self-Funded Retiree |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clinical Care | All clinical services | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| Independence Services | All independence services | 0% | 0% - 25% (income/assets based) | 25% |
| Everyday Living Services | All everyday living services | 0% | 0% - 25% (income/assets based) | 25% |
Scenario - Contribution Comparison (per $100 spent)
Full Pensioner under SAH:
- Everyday Living: 17.5% of $40 = $7.00
- Independence: 5% of $20 = $1.00
- Clinical Care: 0% of $20 = $0.00
- Home Modifications/Equipment: 0% of $20 = $0.00
- Total Co-Contribution: $8.00 (Previously $0)
Self-Funded Retiree under SAH:
- Everyday Living: 80% of $40 = $32.00
- Independence: 50% of $20 = $10.00
- Clinical Care: 0% of $20 = $0.00
- Home Modifications/Equipment: 0% of $20 = $0.00
- Total Co-Contribution: $42.00 (Previously ~$5-12)
New Integrated Assessment Tool (IAT)
The new IAT includes 18 sections covering:
- Assessment details
- Reason for assessment
- Carer profile
- Social
- Function
- Medications
- Physical & personal health
- Frailty
- Cognition
- Behaviour
- Psychological
- Medical
- Home and personal safety
- Financial and legal
- Support considerations
- Current access to services
- Goal setting
- Assessor recommendations
5. SAH Operating Model & System Requirements
Service List & Pricing
A defined service list is identified with S@H with 3 categories:
-
Clinical Support - Contribution Rate: 0%
- Nursing Care (Registered Nurse, Enrolled Nurse, Nursing Assistant, Nursing Care Consumables)
- Allied Health and other Therapeutic Services
- Nutrition (Prescribed Nutrition)
-
Independence - Contribution Rate: 5% to 50%
- Personal Care
- Social Support and Community Engagement (Group Social Support, Individual Social Support, Accompanied Activities, Cultural Support, Digital Education and Support)
- Therapeutic Services for Independent Living (Acupuncturist, Chiropractor, Diversional Therapist, Remedial Masseur, Art Therapist, Osteopath)
- Respite
- Assistive Technology and Home Modifications
-
Everyday Living - Contribution Rate: 17.5% to 80%
- Domestic Assistance (General House Cleaning, Laundry Services, Shopping Assistance)
- Home Maintenance and Repairs (Gardening, Assistance with Home Maintenance and Repairs, Expenses for Home Maintenance and Repairs)
- Meals (Meal Preparation, Meal Delivery)
Important: Participants are not automatically eligible for services on the service list. They must be assessed as needing the service, documented in their notice of decision and support plan.
Budget Types in Portal
Support at Home Budget Types:
- Care recipient quarterly budget
- Restorative care pathway
- Assistive technology
- Assistive technology specified needs
- Home modifications
- End of life pathway
- Commonwealth Unspent funds draw down
- HCP Unspent Funds
- Voluntary Contributions
Critical Rule: Budgets can be exceeded but Budget Types cannot!
Spending Notification / Pacing Check
- Budgets can be exceeded 100%+
- On Hold at 120%
- Month 1 notification
- Month 2 notification
- Month 3 notification
Client Statements
Monthly statements showing:
- Budget Summary (Quarterly Budget Allocation, Rolled Over from Previous Quarter, Total Available This Quarter, Total Spent This Month, Total Spent This Quarter, Remaining Balance)
- Services Delivered (detailed breakdown)
- Participant Contributions
- Care Management Allocation
- Assistive Technology and Home Modifications (AT-HM)
- Unspent HCP Funds
- Funds breakdown by budget type
Statement features:
- Not an invoice - no payment required
- Refers to following pages for service information
- Separate invoice for participant contributions
- Multi-page format with detailed breakdown by service category
6. Coordinator Model
Coordinator Loading Fees
New Feature: Allow Coordinators to see their earnings
- Bar graph shows earnings over time
- Financial year tracking
- Projected fees vs actual fees vs funding utilization rate
Coordinator Invoice (RCTI)
- RCTI Agreement signed outside of Portal
- Monthly invoice generated by Trilogy
- Broken up by Client
- Captures the 20-30% loading on every single transaction
- Downloadable statements
- GST and total fees clearly shown
Coordinator Markup
- Fees are marked up on the Invoice Line Item
- Visible in invoice details:
- Service amount
- Estimated Contribution
- Coordinator Loading (marked up amount)
- Platform Loading
- Total Amount including fees
Coordinator Fees Dashboard
Features multiple service fees per coordinator:
- Service Coordination classification
- Coordinator Loading percentage (e.g., 20%)
- Notification and Approval Flows
- Ability to edit fees with options:
- Apply new fee rate to new clients only
- Apply new fee rate to existing clients and new clients
- Select discount rate
- Different rates for new vs existing clients
7. Re-Contracting & Change Management
New Agreements Required
-
New Home Care Agreement
- Aligns with updated service standards and funding models
-
New Coordination Agreements
- Ensures clarity between consumers, providers, and stakeholders
-
Compliance & Accountability
- Meets regulatory obligations
-
Clear Communication Plan
- Proactive engagement to ensure smooth transitions
- Value Management
In-Portal Execution
Trilogy is working to execute Home Care Agreements in Portal with their invite to Portal!
8. Lead Conversion / Customer Onboarding
Onboarding Requirements
Commencement Events (Allow Multiple)
Package Options:
- Self-Managed vs SM Plus (Change in Management Option)
- Coordination Option
- Primary Contact (Lead already has this)
Customer Onboarding Flow
Stages:
- Research / Enrich - Lead capture and initial contact
- Establish Contact - Phone and web form
- Pitch / Qualify - Sales nurture and call cadence
- Conversion - Lead to Consumer conversion
- Onboard - Care Plan creation, Package setup
- Onboard (continued) - Integration and setup
- Nurture - Ongoing support
Key dependencies:
- Assessment Process
- IAT (Integrated Assessment Tool)
- Existing Care Plan (if transferring)
- Kanyini Number Series
- Services Australia integration
- HCA (Home Care Agreement) signing
- Budget creation
- Care Note and Care Event
9. Global Package View Improvements
Time invested to make package view clearer - when you open a package you see key information about the recipient:
Profile Section
- Recipient details (title, preferred name, gender, date of birth, age)
- Preferred contact method and times
- Associated timezone
- Login status
Trilogy Care Team
- Care Partner
- Coordinator (with organization affiliation)
- Representative
Contact Information
- Preferred contact (Primary representative)
- Preferred contact method
- Preferred contact time
- Language
- Requires interpreter status
- Email, Mobile number, Home number
Package Information
- Trilogy Care ID
- Care recipient ID
- Package type
- Status
- Commencement date
- Cessation date
- Financial status
- Tags
10. Governance: Supporter vs Representative
Supporter
- Request to System Governor to appoint a support person (e.g., a family member or close friend)
- Helps with navigating the aged care system
- Can be for a specified term and can be cancelled/suspended at any time
- Provides support and may seek information on the person’s behalf
- Does NOT make any decisions
Representative
- The person may request a Representative to have the power to make aged care decisions for or with them (e.g., if they do not want to make a decision or if their ability declines)
- Can be for a specified term and can be cancelled/suspended by the System Governor at any time
- System Governor must have regard to certain information when appointing
- Particularly where a person is appointed under State/Territory legislation as a Guardian/EPOA, that person will almost always be appointed as a representative
- In some cases (e.g., where the person lacks ability to make decisions), the System Governor may appoint a representative nominee to make aged care decisions on the person’s behalf without the person’s consent
- The representative nominee can make aged care decisions following a set of decision-making principles that prioritise the person’s wishes and preferences
Nominee’s duties include: Ascertaining the wishes of the person; acting in a manner that promotes the person’s personal, cultural and social wellbeing; maintaining the decision-making ability of the person; avoiding/managing any conflicts of interest; and complying with any other duties under the legislation.
11. Service Provider Directory Vision
Features to implement:
- Search filters - Categories, Package level, Location, Price Range
- Service provider profiles - Business details, services offered, pricing, availability
- Results display - Ratings, reviews, location, services, pricing, schedule flexibility
- Closest match indicators
- Sorting options - Most Relevant, per page limits
- Applied filters display with clear all option
12. Additional Features
Attachments & Care Timeline
- Documents section with file upload
- Document type tags
- Additional information timeline
- Internal only notes option
- Tagged entries with user and timestamp
Composable Workday
Identified CRM Gap Workflows:
- Ticketing System (considered and tagged against packages/supplier)
- Cab Charge
- Assessments
- Supplement Applications
- Change in Level
13. Program Overview (July 2025 Timeline)
Entry Points
- My Aged Care - Single entry point with Assessment Outcome
- Advisory Services - For Dementia, Vision, Continence (don’t require aged care assessment)
- Other Aged Care Programs
- CHSP - For low level needs (operates until 2027)
Short Term Support
- State-based loan schemes
- Assistive Technology and Home Modifications (ATHM)
- End of Life Palliative Support
- Short Term Restorative Pathway
Ongoing Services (July 2025)
- Single Provider initially - All services through single provider who also sources short term support
- Classification and Quarterly Budget
- Services delivered based on Support Plan Details
- Adjusting Services - Can be adjusted within quarterly budget; older people can save up to $1,000 between quarters
- Optional Budget Pooling - Option for client budgets to be pooled (e.g., onsite nurse in retirement village)
Financial Flow
- Payments flow between provider and Services Australia
- Service and Price Lists - Providers invoice against service list with price caps set by Government
- IHACPA - Independent Hospital and Aged Care Pricing Authority provides advice on efficient prices
Care Partner
- Qualified person checks older person’s outcomes
- Helps organize any changes needed
- Initially provided by service provider
- Later, older person may choose independent care partner
Thin Market Grants
Supplementary grants to service providers in thin markets or delivering additional social benefit.
14. Post July 2027 Changes
Key Differences
- No CHSP - CHSP program fully transitioned
- Limited Time Home Help - New short-term support category added
- Multiple Service Providers - Older people can use one or number of support at home providers
- Care Partner Choice - The older person may choose a care partner who works for their service provider or is independent
15. Priorities & Actions (BRP Focus)
A. SAH Compliance & Core Workflows
- Implement budget types and validation
- Build client statement generation
- Create invoice workflows with budget type allocation
- Services Australia API integration
- Claims process automation
B. Re-Contracting & Change Management
- New Home Care Agreement template
- New Coordination Agreement template
- In-portal agreement execution workflow
- Communication plan for existing clients
- Migration timeline and approach
C. Coordinator Economics & UX
- Coordinator fee summary dashboard
- Monthly RCTI generation
- Fee configuration interface
- Notification and approval workflows
- Multi-service fee support
D. Recipient & Admin Portal Improvements
- Live chat functionality
- All bills visible in portal (eliminate dual platforms)
- Action lists for prioritization
- Self-serve features (profile management, invoice comments, budget requests)
- Auto-save notes
- Question templates
- Small laptop/mobile screen optimization
- Performance improvements (loading, search)
- CSV export for transactions
- Pending payment list/visibility
E. Onboarding & Package Clarity
- Lead conversion workflow improvements
- Multiple commencement events support
- Package options selection (SM vs SM Plus)
- Coordination option selection
- Global package view enhancements
- Key recipient information surfacing
F. Directories, Governance & Ops Gaps
- Service Provider Directory (profiles, filters, search)
- Supporter vs Representative governance model
- Ticketing system implementation
- Supplier CRM workflows
- Workflow automation for common tasks
G. SAH External Context to Monitor
- Track regulatory updates and guidance
- Monitor Services Australia API changes
- Review contribution calculation updates
- Follow budget type and pricing changes
BRP Session Agenda (60-90 min)
- Context & Goals (10 min) - Strategy, SAH implications, success metrics
- Current Feedback (10 min) - What to fix now vs later
- SAH Core Workflows (25 min) - Budgets, statements, claims
- Coordinator Economics & Portal UX (15 min) - Dashboards, RCTI, self-serve
- Change Management (10 min) - New agreements & comms
- Prioritisation & Owners (10-20 min) - Lock scope for next 4-6 weeks
Success Metrics
Experience
- Portal satisfaction ≥ 4.2/5
- Search success ≥ 85%
- Mobile task completion ≤ 2 mins for top flows
Throughput
- ≥ 95% invoices visible in portal within 24h
- ≥ 90% claims API success on first attempt
Financial
- Reduce software spend by X% YoY
- Coordinator billing accuracy ≥ 99%
Change
- ≥ 90% of active clients on new HCA within N weeks of launch
Owners & Timeline
To be confirmed in BRP:
- SAH Core Workflows: Owner __ / Eng Lead __ / Target __
- Agreements & Comms: Owner __ / Legal/CS __ / Target __
- Coordinator UX & RCTI: Owner __ / Eng Lead __ / Target __
- Portal Improvements: Owner __ / Design __ / Target __
Risks & Dependencies
External Risks
- External policy/timing shifts
- Services Australia API dependencies
- Regulatory changes or delays
Internal Risks
- Data migration risks
- Capacity constraints
- Mobile responsiveness complexity
Dependencies
- Legal review of new agreements
- Services Australia API access and documentation
- User testing and feedback cycles
Next Steps
- Confirm scope/owners in BRP - Assign clear ownership for each priority area
- Translate priorities into epics/stories - Create detailed user stories with acceptance criteria
- Stand up weekly burn-up/metrics review - Track progress against success metrics
- Begin stakeholder communications - Prepare messaging for re-contracting and SAH changes
- Establish migration plan - Timeline and approach for transitioning existing clients
References
- Big Room Planning Presentation (May 2025)
- Consumer Satisfaction Survey (Self Managed) - 967 responses
- SM Plus Consumer Experience Survey - 391 responses
- Portal Survey - 26 respondents (Dec 2024)
- Hotjar Recipient Responses - 23 responses (Dec 2024)
- Support at Home Program Documentation
- Services Australia resources