Shawna M McDonald1, Laura M Wagner2, Andrea Gruneir3. 1. Graduate of the University of Toronto's Institute for Health Policy, Management and Evaluation with an interest in patient safety and infection control. She is now a Hand Hygiene Coordinator and Data Support Analyst at Hamilton Health Sciences. 2. Assistant professor at the University of California, San Francisco's School of Nursing with an interest in improving patient safety in long-term care. Dr. Wagner was the nursing scientist at Baycrest at the time that this study was conducted. 3. assistant professor at the University of Alberta. At the time that this study was conducted, Dr. Gruneir was with Women's College Hospital. She has an interest in research methods and health services use patterns of older adults.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To determine if accreditation is associated with better resident safety processes and outcomes in 587 Ontario long-term care (LTC) homes. A second area of interest is whether LTC home characteristics influence pursuit of accreditation. FINDINGS: Out of five safety areas examined, accreditation was only associated with a lower occurrence of falls. Three of four organizational characteristics examined (facility ownership, chain membership and location) were predictors of facility accreditation. IMPLICATIONS: To prevent inequalities in organizations' ability to pursue accreditation, policymakers may need to consider new initiatives that reduce barriers for LTC homes that lack sufficient resources.
OBJECTIVE: To determine if accreditation is associated with better resident safety processes and outcomes in 587 Ontario long-term care (LTC) homes. A second area of interest is whether LTC home characteristics influence pursuit of accreditation. FINDINGS: Out of five safety areas examined, accreditation was only associated with a lower occurrence of falls. Three of four organizational characteristics examined (facility ownership, chain membership and location) were predictors of facility accreditation. IMPLICATIONS: To prevent inequalities in organizations' ability to pursue accreditation, policymakers may need to consider new initiatives that reduce barriers for LTC homes that lack sufficient resources.