19. Generic services for the long-term care patient

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Health Services Research
• Public Health

Background:

• Effective long-term care requires comprehensive patient assessment.
• Existing service providers and settings vary significantly in scope and offerings.
• A standardized approach is needed to define and categorize long-term care services.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify the appropriate set of services or service package for long-term care patients.
• To define the universe of services independently of varying providers and settings.
• To establish a standardized method for describing service capacity and intervention nature.

Main Methods:

• Development of a list of 24 generic services by the Duke Center for the Study of Aging and Human Development.
• Utilizing this list for patient-provider matching.
• Employing the list to describe program capacity and intervention specifics for impact/outcome studies.

Main Results:

• The 24-item generic service list proved useful for patient-provider assignment.
• The list accurately describes service capacity of programs and institutions.
• It precisely defines interventions for impact and outcome studies.

Conclusions:

• The standardized service list facilitates accurate patient assessment and service matching in long-term care.
• It serves as a valuable tool for program evaluation, costing, and planning.
• This approach enhances the responsiveness of long-term care services to patient needs.