Long-term Care

Long-term care (LTC) is a relative newcomer to the Center for Patient Safety’s PSO. Yet, as the healthcare industry works to address safety across the continuum, LTC has to be part of that effort, both for the benefit of patients and the business health of all providers.

Since the IOM released its landmark report “To Err is Human” in 1999, most of the patient safety research has been centered within hospital walls. Residents and patients, however, experience healthcare in multiple settings and must be able to move among them without incident. This year, one of eight major recommendations from the National Patient Safety Foundation (NPSF) addresses patient safety across the entire care continuum.

CPS is committed to improving the safety and quality of all care, helping providers of all types to enhance their systems and reduce adverse outcomes. It acts as a resource and facilitator, using a collaborative approach to education and improvement.

Long-term care has special challenges, including shifting reimbursement structures, tight regulation, increased public scrutiny, and evolving theories of care. These all require a culture that allows for learning, growth and improvement. CPS PSO participation offers tools that support those things.

What does a relationship between CPS and long-term care look like? CPS wants long-term care communities to strengthen their culture of safety, which can support both improved outcomes that drive reimbursement and survey readiness. The Center will continue to reach out and serve as a resource to LTC organizations and to focus on three objectives:

1. Learning – new opportunities for PSO participants to improve their resident safety culture and improve their care
2. Preventing – using the data in the PSO database to identify opportunities for LTC providers to reduce adverse events and harm
3. Protecting – individualized guidance for LTC communities to maximize federal protection for their safety and quality analysis and deliberations

The Center values all providers and looks forward to a long future as partners to improve patient safety for all individuals.

The Center for Patient Safety (CPS) offers several patient safety services specific to long-term care facilities:

PSO Services:
PSO Services

Culture Services:
Survey on Resident Safety Culture
Comprehensive Unit-based Safety Program
Just Culture
Second Victim Experience

Learn More:
LTC facilities working with CPS
LTC Advisory Committee