Use of Quality Indicators in Nursing Homes in Victoria, Australia: A Cross-Sectional Descriptive Survey.
OBJECTIVE
This study aimed to characterize the use of mandated quality indicators (QIs) in public sector nursing homes by describing their adherence to established principles of measurement and whether nursing homes respond to QI data to improve care.


METHODS
Data were collected from a descriptive cross-sectional quantitative study using a confidential survey questionnaire distributed electronically to senior staff in all public sector nursing homes in Victoria, Australia.


RESULTS
Staff from 113 of 196 facilities completed the survey (58%). Adherence to principles of measurement was suboptimal, with variation in applying QI definitions and infrequent random audits of data (n = 54, 48%). QI data triggered reviews of individual residents (62%-79%), staff practice (44%-65%), and systems of care (45%-55%). Most facilities (58%-75%) reported that beneficial changes in care occurred as a result of using QIs.


CONCLUSIONS
QI performance data are positively received and used to improve care. Standardization of data collection, analysis, and reporting should strengthen the program's utility.
Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia joseph.ibrahim@monash.edu.
Joseph E
JE
Ibrahim
National University of Ireland, Galway, Ireland.
Liam
L
Chadwick
Ballarat Health Services, Victoria, Australia.
Aleece
A
MacPhail
La Trobe University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
Linda
L
McAuliffe
RDNS Research Institute, St Kilda, Victoria, Australia.
Susan
S
Koch
La Trobe University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
Yvonne
Y
Wells
data use; improving care; nursing homes; quality indicators; residential aged care