This is an online tool created by two employees who participated in the organisation’s 2017 Innovation Challenge.

Developed by April Creed and Rebecca Glover, the online tool is designed to empower people in the creation of their own advance care directives and other protective documentation in order to guide personalised healthcare.

IRT’s executive general manager of strategy Sam McFarlane said IRT’s 10-week Innovation Challenge was launched in 2017 to encourage employees to submit their ideas for the reinvention of support services, care experiences and housing solutions for an ageing Australia.

Mr McFarlane said the duo responded to the call and pitched their idea for ExSitu. 

“They devised the idea in response to a gap they saw in service provision, identified through their 40 years’ of combined nursing experience in the aged care industry,” he said. 

Ms Creed and Ms Glover’s idea went on to be built and tested with the support of IRT’s Innovation team and the University of Wollongong iAccelerate Start Program.

“With our support and encouragement, the women have left their full-time roles to dedicate their time to building their business as intrapreneurs at iAccelerate,” Mr McFarlane said.

Ms Creed last week said the tool is designed to care for a person holistically and deliver a tailored experience, taking into account the person’s clinical and medical requirements as well as their values and beliefs.

“It’s common for people not to plan for the later stages of life and when the need arises their voice can be lost in the system,” she said.

“What’s unique about ExSitu is how it helps people create documents that reflect their own voice and values to guide the direction of their healthcare. 

“In an online interactive process, it helps people navigate difficult conversations about the later stages of life, recording their core values within advance care directives and other protective documentation that can be reviewed, signed and shared via ExSitu.

“Ultimately it will help family and friends make better decisions for the ones they love when they can no longer speak for themselves in the advanced stages of dementia or palliative care.”

ExSitu is now being trialled by IRT’s homecare and residential care divisions, and is soon to commence a trial with RMB Lawyers.