Best of breed vs all-in-one: finding the right digital fit for aged care

Written by Sonja Bernhardt OAM

The recent Ageing Australia National Conference made one thing clear: procurement discussions are happening across the sector. Aged care providers face a familiar dilemma: choose a single all-in-one platform that claims to do everything, or adopt a combination of specialised “best of breed” systems that each excel in their own domain.

As the sector evolves under new standards, funding models and workforce expectations, adaptability has become the real measure of success.

The all-in-one illusion

All-in-one platforms promise uniformity and control. Yet when every function is tied together, even a small change can cause disruption. Often, capability in one part of the system is compromised because focus shifts to another, or dependencies delay delivery. A new regulatory requirement in clinical care, for example, might trigger updates across finance, payroll and HR modules, slowing response times and driving up costs.

Large vendors also face the problem of scale. Serving many industries dilutes their focus on aged care’s unique needs. Innovation cycles slow. Providers find themselves locked into long-term contracts, dependent on one vendor’s roadmap, pricing and priorities. What begins as efficiency can soon feel like constraint.

The case for best of breed

Best-of-breed vendors are typically smaller, more agile and closer to the sector they serve. Because their business depends on doing one thing exceptionally well, they invest deeply in usability, innovation and sector-specific expertise. Many are early adopters of AI, analytics and automation because they can experiment within a single module without risking the stability of a large, monolithic platform.

The result is depth over breadth: systems that fit aged care operations like tailored tools rather than oversized uniforms. When new standards, privacy reforms or reporting indicators are introduced, best-of-breed developers can pivot quickly, often within weeks. Their shorter innovation cycles are informed directly by user feedback, not distant corporate schedules.

Reducing risk, building agility and resilience

There is also a compelling governance case for diversification.

Relying on one vendor centralises technology risk: a single outage, cyberattack or pricing change can affect every department. In contrast, best-of-breed environments spread exposure across multiple providers. If one system fails, others keep running, reflecting a sound risk management principle: diversification, not dependence.

Providers can independently evaluate each system’s security posture, uptime performance and responsiveness, rather than accepting a one-size-fits-all standard. Smaller modular upgrades are also easier to test and deploy, minimising disruption and cost.

Data protection strengthens, too. Best-of-breed vendors increasingly align with standards such as ISO 27001, SOC 2 and the Australian Privacy Principles. Selecting proven specialists in each niche can deliver a stronger overall security posture than relying on one vendor’s approach across every domain.

Integration: the game-changing enabler

Historically, integration was the main argument against best-of-breed systems. Connecting multiple platforms once meant messy data and expensive middleware. That is no longer true.

Secure single sign-on and interoperability standards such as FHIR and REST APIs now make it easier to connect data across systems. Central governance or reporting hubs can draw information from each specialised platform to create a unified view without sacrificing depth or flexibility. Providers can stay connected while retaining the freedom to upgrade or replace components as technology evolves.

Partnership over procurement

Another quiet strength of best-of-breed vendors lies in their relationships. Smaller providers often know their clients by name. Users can speak directly with the people shaping the system, not a distant help desk or global ticketing queue.

That responsiveness builds trust and collaboration. Sector feedback often appears in the next product release, turning customers into co-designers. In a people-centred industry, this partnership model feels both practical and human.

Finding the right balance

Best-of-breed is not without challenges. Managing multiple vendors requires clear governance, defined data ownership and deliberate integration planning. But the most successful providers increasingly adopt a hybrid strategy, using a few core systems supported by specialised tools that deliver deeper insight, faster change and sector-specific strength.

The takeaway

Aged care is not static. Regulations, funding models and community expectations shift constantly. The technology supporting care must evolve just as fast.

Best-of-breed systems offer that adaptability. They mirror the same principles that underpin quality care itself: expertise working together through coordination, not conformity.

The goal is not to find one system that claims to do everything, but to assemble the right combination that helps providers do everything well.