Improving the Quality of Life in Long Term Care Facilities
Improving the quality of resident life and reducing healthcare costs in long term care are the cornerstones of the Reducing Pressure Ulcers and Physical Restraints Project being facilitated by HQSI. This project is a critical component of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ national Reducing Healthcare-acquired Conditions initiative. HQSI’s work for New Jersey is being underwritten by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services so our services are free to participating long term care facilities.
- HQSI is working with a select group of long term care facilities that have committed to achieving at least two of the following bold goals:
- Achieve >= 20% relative improvement in pressure ulcer rate by January 2013 and sustain or further improve the rate through July 2014
- Reduce the use of physical restraints to <=3% by June 2012 and sustain or further reduce the rate through July 2014
- Achieve a 25% absolute reduction in indwelling catheter use by January 2013 and sustain or further reduce the rate through July 2014
How Does HQSI Help Participating Long Term Care Facilities?
Participants need to establish interdisciplinary teams. We offer assistance in identifying critical team members and provide training, tools and resources for conducting dynamic, action-oriented team meetings.
Participants need to conduct a root cause analysis and develop and implement a quality improvement action plan based on the results. We help conduct the root cause analysis and provide quality improvement plan templates that can be tailored to meet each facility’s needs.
Participants need to identify and implement evidence-based best practices for reducing the incidence of pressure ulcers and/or physical restraints and Catheter-associated Urinary Tract Infections. We provide evidence-based best practice change packages and coaching teams for testing and spreading interventions.
Participants need to educate staff, residents and residents’ families about pressure ulcers and/or physical restraints and Catheter-associated Urinary Tract Infections prevention and care. We provide access to proven educational tools and resources as well as support from state experts.
Participants need to collect and submit data, as required by the project. We provide data collection guidance, including instructions for the use of Advancing Excellence in America’s Nursing Homes campaign tools.
