QA reporting is standard procedure for staff of long term care facilities. But don’t think of it as simply a protocol you have to follow. If you have good QA data — not just numbers on a screen, but comprehensive, insightful data you can use — you’ll find it can be a real game-changer for not only your community's benefit, but especially for your residents’ wellbeing.
Good Data Improves Resident Safety
When an incident occurs, you record it and take steps afterward to analyze what happened and how to avoid it in the future. Those are the necessities. But if you have good incident data, you can do much more than merely consider an adverse event after the fact. You can be proactive and prevent many of these incidents from happening in the first place.
A good incident management system should identify your higher risk residents so they can get the attention they need to avoid falls and other incidents. It should also tell you when incidents are more likely to occur based on patterns of shift involvement, time of day, location, and other variables — so you can have the appropriate staff on alert to prevent accidents.
Basically, good data empowers you to avoid incidents and quality lapses, rather than respond to them after most of the damage is done.
You Provide Better Care
When you have access to good QA data, it empowers your staff to focus on the areas that need the most attention in order to keep residents safe. They'll know which residents need specific care, when incidents are more likely to occur, and what they should do to prevent them.
Good data also gives you benchmarking insight to tell how you compare to your peers and your competition, revealing you where to improve and where you’re already excelling. Your staff learns more about their strengths, and they learn how to provide the best possible care to your residents.
Empowered and educated team members are confident, and your residents will notice. When they don’t have to be in caution mode, your employees are simply better at their jobs. It creates a cycle of positive attitude and quality care that make your facility a better place for your staff to work — and a great place for your residents to live.
Families are Less Stressed
Family members can be a tough audience, because they’re often on high alert for their loved one’s wellbeing. This can work to your advantage with good QA data in your arsenal. Families will likely be the first to notice the skill of your staff, the low incidence of complaints and problems, and the all-around exceptional care you provide, which reduces their concerns. A family that’s at ease with their loved one’s care will naturally create a more relaxed atmosphere for your residents as well.
Good Data Leads to Excellent Care
Your risk management and quality assessment efforts benefit greatly from good QA data. Combine that with the ability to provide better care and keep your residents safer and healthier, and you’ve got a win-win for everyone who works — and lives — at your facility.
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