Question

What do you consider to be the key areas for developing quality metrics in home and community based care? Which ones are easier to measure than others?

Answer 1

Today, Americans are receiving most of the services in the community settings rather than nursing homes. Home and community-based care(HCBS) is the assistance and care services provided to the family members. In 2015, Academy health discussed with the group of researchers, policymakers, and practitioners about quality measures and metrics needed to improve quality of HCBS.

Most researchers concentrate on HCBS quality in the following areas.

• Researchers compared the relationship between the HCBS services and outcomes and focused on the needed services.
• More attention to the need of family caregivers to attain the goal of HCBS.
• Development of HCBS quality measures to improve the quality of services.

During conversions, the various presenters had discussed the HCBS quality.

Anita Yuskauskas says it is hard to measure the quality when the service is lack.

Barbara Gage focused on patient-centered care. According to him develop a framework of triple aim (better care, healthy communities, affordable care) is necessary for measuring the quality of HCBS.

According to the viewpoint of Bruce.C. Vladeck measuring of quality is not the priority. He insisted more on improving the quality of nursing homes. He thought the quality measures of pay-for-performance will not be effective in improving the quality. Only the Organizational structure, leadership, and good decision making will be helpful in improving the quality.

HCBS provides a quality better care than the nursing homes but there is a lack of measures to judge the quality. More resources are needed to meet the demand of services and number of practical challenges in measuring the quality of HCBS. Anyway, the healthcare providers are trying to improve the quality.