Health Quality Ontario Releases New Data on the Quality of Long-term Care and Home Care in Ontario

TORONTO, March 28, 2012 /CNW/ - Health Quality Ontario (HQO) today launched their updated and revamped public reporting websites on long-term care (LTC) homes and home care (HC) quality in the province. The websites feature new and improved content, better search and browse functionality, and a more user-friendly interface. Additionally, the home care website is the first and only website in Canada, publicly reporting on the quality of home care services.

As part of HQO's mandate - which also supports continuous quality improvement and promoting healthcare based on the best scientific evidence available - public reporting increases awareness and provide information about the quality of Ontario's long-term care and home care systems. Public reporting also enhances transparency, encourages accountability and drives quality improvement in the provincial healthcare system.

This year's long-term care website features more publicly reporting long-term care homes than ever before - nearly 300 homes have voluntarily posted their results for quality indicators related to instances of incontinence, falls, pressure ulcers and restraints. Users can search for homes by postal code or by local health integration network (LHIN). HQO applauds these homes for being early adopters of public reporting and leaders among their peers.

The long-term care website also includes provincial results for 12 long-term care quality indicators on topics such as wait times, falls, pressure ulcers and emergency department visits. These indicator results are organized around five attributes of a high-performing healthcare system: accessible, effective, safe, appropriately resourced and focused on population health. By the end of 2012, data for all long-term care homes in Ontario will be posted to the site.

The home care website includes provincial results for 11 home care quality indicators on topics such as wait times, incontinence, cognitive function and pressure ulcers. The site also includes information about client experiences with home care services. These results are provided at both the provincial and community care access centre (CCAC) level. In 2013, the site may also include provider-level quality indicator results.

As part of HQO's commitment to providing public information on the quality of long-term care and home care, both websites remain under continuous development. More information on public reporting as well as HQO's 2012 reports on the quality of long-term care and home care services in Ontario, are available through the public reporting websites found here:

Long-term Care Reporting:
http://www.hqontario.ca/en/reporting/longtermcare (English)
http://www.hqontario.ca/fr/reporting/longtermcare (French)

Home Care Reporting:
http://www.hqontario.ca/en/reporting/homecare (English)
http://www.hqontario.ca/fr/reporting/homecare (French)

Health Quality Ontario (HQO) is a government agency created under the Commitment to the Future of Medicare Act in 2005 and had its mandate expanded in 2010 with the passing of the Excellent Care For All Act (ECFA). In its current role, HQO is dedicated to the establishment of priorities and developing leadership around a unified goal of delivering maximum value to Ontarians from their publicly-funded health system. HQO's accountability is demonstrated through the provision of timely monitoring and measurement of the health system while continuing to assess progress and report this data to the public. For more information on Health Quality Ontario please visit www.hqontario.ca.

Michael Staniforth: 416-323-6868, ext. 317
www.HQOntario.ca