Measuring quality in long-term care: a 360-degree approach

Area of Science:

• Healthcare Quality Management
• Gerontology
• Health Services Research

Background:

• Despite policy and provider initiatives, significant quality concerns persist in acute and long-term care (LTC).
• Current quality measurement predominantly focuses on technical quality, evaluating specific healthcare outcomes.
• There is a growing call for a patient-centered approach to assess functional quality, incorporating patient experiences.

Purpose of the Study:

• To discuss the inherent challenges in measuring quality within the long-term care (LTC) sector.
• To advocate for a shift towards a more comprehensive quality assessment in LTC.
• To propose a 360-degree approach for evaluating LTC quality.

Main Methods:

• Discussion-based analysis of quality measurement challenges in long-term care.
• Review of existing quality assessment frameworks in healthcare.
• Conceptualization of a 360-degree quality evaluation model.

Main Results:

• Measuring quality in LTC presents unique and complex challenges compared to acute care.
• Technical quality metrics alone are insufficient for a complete understanding of LTC quality.
• A patient-centered perspective is crucial for a holistic quality assessment.

Conclusions:

• A comprehensive approach is essential for accurately assessing and improving quality in long-term care.
• The proposed 360-degree model, integrating multiple perspectives, offers a more robust framework for LTC quality evaluation.
• Implementing a 360-degree approach can lead to more effective quality improvement strategies in long-term care settings.