New research shows Australia could immediately establish independent, transparent, routine monitoring and public reporting of many aspects of aged care quality outcomes similar to leading countries like Denmark, Sweden, Germany, the Netherlands, and the USA. Currently the Australian Government has no care quality outcome reporting for home care and reports on only three indicators for residential care.

The research, which was performed by the South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute (SAHMRI), shows a large range of quality outcome indicators can be produced from existing data without any burden to aged care providers. This includes indicators for medication-related quality of care, falls and fractures, hospital re-admissions, hospitalisation for dementia/delirium, pain, premature mortality, pressure injury, utilisation of care plans and medication reviews, and weight loss/malnutrition.

The SAHMRI research was conducted for the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety. The findings are presented in Research Paper 8 – International and National Quality and Safety Indicators for Aged Care.

Read more:

Research Paper 8 – International and National Quality and Safety Indicators for Aged Care (.pdf)