AUTOMATED MONITORING FOR NURSING HOME QUALITY ASSESSMENT

SCHALLER ASSOCIATES' LONG-TERM OBJECTIVE IS TO IMPLEMENT AN EFFECTIVE, AUTOMATED QUALITY MONITORING PROGRAM FOR NURSING HOME ADMINISTRATORS. THE PROGRAM WILL GENERATE REPORTS ON PROFILES OF CARE, IDENTIFYING EXCEPTIONS TO NORMS, BE PORTABLE TO ALTERNATIVE NURSING HOME SETTINGS, BE USABLE BY NURSING AND SUPPORT STAFF, AND IS EXPECTED TO HAVE A SIGNIFICANT AND LASTING IMPACT ON QUALITY ASSESSMENT PROCEDURES IN THE NURSING HOME INDUSTRY. PHASE I WILL PRODUCE A FIELD-TESTED PLAN DESCRIBING THE MINIMUM SET OF DATA ELEMENTS REQUIRED, THEIR SPECIFIC SOURCES, AND THE RELEVANT INSTRUMENTS, PROCEDURES AND RESULTING REPORTS. A TECHNICAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE WILL ASSIST IN DEVELOPING THE PLAN, WHICH WILL NOT ONLY BE EVOLVED IN THE PRACTICAL SETTING OF 11 OPERATING NURSING HOMES, WHICH ARE MANAGED BY SCHALLER ASSOCIATES AS A COURT-APPOINTED RECEIVER, BUT WILL ALSO BE FIELD TESTED AT TWO NURSING HOME SITES IN OTHER STATES. PHASE I WILL PROVIDE A FEASIBILITY-TESTED FOUNDATION FOR PHASE-II DEVELOPMENT OF COMPUTER SOFTWARE AND DOCUMENTATION,HANDS-ON IMPLEMENTATION AT SELECTED NURSING HOME TEST SITES,AND EFFORTS TO INSURE ACCEPTANCE OF THE PROGRAM THROUGHOUT THE NURSING HOME INDUSTRY. SCHALLER ASSOCIATES WILL THEN MARKET THE PRODUCT COMMERCIALLY AND PROVIDE USER SUPPORT.