Purpose of the Site

This website presents comprehensive information about the quality of care and services provided to long-stay home care clients. The main purpose of making this information available to the public is to advance the quality of care and services provided to home care clients.

Where the Data Come From

Most of the data were collected using the RAI-HC (Resident Assessment Instrument – Home Care) data collection tool. This standardized tool is now used in every CCAC in Ontario. While the instrument enables standard measures and therefore comparability across the province, currently it is only used with long-stay clients. (An adult long-stay client is defined as an adult who requires more than 60 uninterrupted days of service through a CCAC, or who requires admission to an LTC home.)

Forty-six percent of home care service recipients are long-stay clients of all ages with chronic conditions or complex medical needs requiring care over a long period of time. The remaining 54% are short-stay clients who require services for a short time while they recover from surgery or an injury. Under the current system, every long-stay client undergoes a detailed assessment of his or her health at least once every six months by a home care staff member who is specially trained to collect this information. Initial assessments are not included in the indicators presented here. We also use provincial databases to present quality indicators on access, emergency department visits and drug use.

A home care client survey is currently being piloted in some regions in Ontario and will eventually be used across the province. This telephone survey will ask clients if — overall — they are satisfied with their care. The survey will also ask questions about whether communication is clear at the client’s home, whether staff are courteous and respectful, and how easy it is to get necessary services arranged. Results for each CCAC will be posted when they are available.

Indicators Used for Public Reporting

Indicators used for home care public reporting were selected following a rigorous and evidence-based process that included

• An environmental scan of home care indicators used in Ontario and other jurisdictions, and public reporting mechanisms
• Consultations with academic experts

These indicators were selected because they can be accurately measured and influenced by home care services.

Indicators are organized into HQO’s nine attributes: accessible, effective, safe, patient- (client) centred, equitable, efficient, appropriately resourced, integrated and population health. Currently, this site reports on just four attributes: accessible, effective, safe and population health. We will build on this as the site develops. For more information about the HQO attributes, go to http://www.ohqc.ca/en/framework.php.
 
Acknowledgements

The HQO thanks the Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI) for providing the data for public reporting and the following people and organizations for their input into the design and testing of this website:

• Dawn Guthrie, PhD, Wilfrid Laurier University
• John Hirdes, PhD, University of Waterloo
• Jeff Poss, PhD, University of Waterloo
• The Ontario Association of Community Care Access Centres (OACCAC)
• Toronto Central CCAC
• Central East CCAC
• Mississauga Halton CCAC