COMMISSION LOOKS TOWARD TECHNOLOGY TO IMPROVE LONG-TERM CARE

A report issued by the National Commission for Quality Long-Term Care warns of a coming long-term care crisis and includes recommendations to advance long-term care reform in four areas: quality, workforce, technology and finance. 

As we continue to look at this report, entitled “Isolation to Integration: Recommendations to Improve Quality in Long-Term Care,” today’s article details suggestions regarding technology.  

The commission noted that computer-based technologies already exist that could allow care providers in long-term care, acute care and home-based settings to efficiently collect, manage and share vital information about their clients’ medical histories and care regimens.  

“As we attempt to create a future in which technology will be an integral part of high-quality long-term care provision, we need to remain open to the benefits that this technology can offer us and cautious about how we use technological tools,” the commission said. 

The commission outlined five recommendations to encourage long-term care stakeholders to harness technology as a way to empower long-term care consumers and to improve the quality of care and services they receive:

n       Use technology to achieve quality;

n       Establish federal and industry-wide leadership around the use of health information technology in long-term care;

n       Open communication and data sharing;

n       Remove barriers to innovation; and,

n       Encourage innovation and research. 

To read more about “Isolation to Integration,” see the news release at http://www.qualitylongtermcarecommission.org/pdf/looming_care_crisis_20071203.pdf.

A PDF of the entire report is available online at http://www.qualitylongtermcarecommission.org/pdf/Final_Report_NCQLTC_20071203.pdf.