Will digitalization increase the quality of care provided in social services?

Abstract

The aim of the paper is to evaluate whether the use of digitalization and modern technology will increase the quality of social services in a selected sample of social service providers. Increasing the availability of modern technology is one of the means to improve the quality of social services provided. The paper discusses the different methods of implementing digitalization and examples of good practice in the Czech Republic and abroad. The research used a qualitative approach, including semi-structured interviews with staff and clients of residential facilities. The research conducted focused on the implementation of virtual reality technology in residential social services. The research showed that the most frequent forms in the introduction of modern technologies include electronic registration of clients, digitalization of the service request process, assistive technologies or shared integrated systems. A major barrier to the introduction of modern technologies is human potential.