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ERIC Number: EJ756356
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2007-Feb
Pages: 7
Abstractor: Author
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0016-9013
EISSN: N/A
Transforming Data into Practical Information: Using Consumer Input to Improve Home-Care Services
Applebaum, Robert; Kunkel, Suzanne; Wilson, Ken
Gerontologist, v47 n1 p116-122 Feb 2007
Purpose: As funds have increased for the provision of in-home care, so too have concerns about the quality of services. In response, care management agencies and home-care providers have developed an array of monitoring activities designed to ensure the quality of services. In this article, we show how an area agency on aging both collected and used data to improve the quality of a network of in-home services. Design and Methods: Data came from more than 4,200 consumers enrolled in a community-based long-term-care program operated by the agency. In addition, other indicators of quality, such as elapsed time to service, were also collected. The area agency combined these data into part of a provider quality report it produced. Results: The provider quality report showed considerable variation across the more than 80 providers delivering services. The report also included examples of how data could be used to improve the quality of in-home services. Implications: Many home-care agencies now collect data from and about consumers participating in their programs. Often, however, these organizations do not have a good plan for actually using the data. This study demonstrates how to use consumer information to improve the quality of services delivered.
Gerontological Society of America. 1030 15th Street NW Suite 250, Washington, DC 20005. Tel: 202-842-1275; Fax: 202-842-1150; e-mail: geron@geron.org; Web site: http://www.geron.org/journals/gsapub.htm
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A