Investigation criticises Labor’s algorithm-based aged care tool
A Commonwealth Ombudsman investigation found the federal government’s aged care assessment algorithm is unreasonable, unfair and lacks human oversight.
At a glance
- A commonwealth ombudsman investigation found the aged care assessment algorithm unreasonable, unfair and lacking human oversight.
- Aged care assessors were barred from overriding the algorithm even when decisions were clinically incorrect.
- The ombudsman said legislation must change to allow assessors to override incorrect algorithmic decisions.
An investigation by Australia’s Commonwealth Ombudsman has found that a federal government algorithm used to assess aged care levels is unreasonable, unfair and lacks human oversight. The report described the government’s mandatory Integrated Assessment Tool and the algorithm added to it before its November rollout.
The ombudsman, Iain Anderson, said the legislation must be changed to allow aged care assessors to change clinically incorrect algorithmic decisions themselves. He said there are significant legal issues with the tool and that the department did not fully understand the legal framework around it.
The investigation followed reporting that older Australians were left distressed and without adequate care after home support needs were assessed by an “inhumane” algorithm. Assessors were barred from overriding the tool’s funding package recommendation, even when decisions were wrong, the report found.
Anderson told Guardian Australia that the algorithm is a “technological black box” because there is no public information explaining how it converts inputs into outcomes. He said the department had not complied with transparency recommendations from the robodebt royal commission.
The report also found failures in oversight. It said the department did not properly enforce contractual quality controls or verify whether assessors held mandatory clinical qualifications. It called for a comprehensive review of the legislation and rules underpinning the algorithm.
The department of health and ageing said in July it had announced a new review process. Anderson said he was concerned the escalation pathway would not allow assessors to change wrong decisions themselves.
Source: The Guardian.
Questions and answers
- What did the Commonwealth Ombudsman find about the aged care algorithm?
- It found the algorithm used to assess aged care was unreasonable, unfair and lacked human oversight. The report said legislation must allow assessors to change clinically incorrect decisions.
- Why was the aged care algorithm investigation triggered?
- Guardian Australia reporting found older people were distressed and without adequate care after the mandatory Integrated Assessment Tool used an algorithm. The ombudsman then investigated.
- What transparency issues did the report raise?
- The ombudsman said the department did not properly explain how the algorithm converted inputs into outcomes and did not fully comply with transparency recommendations from the robodebt royal commission.
