Seeking Performance in Long-Term Care Organisations

The provision of high quality long-term care (LTC) for the elderly is an important but challenging goal for LTC national systems and LTC providers. Yet, considering the multidimensionality of the concept of quality, the vulnerability of many LTC recipients, the inevitable scarcity of resources (due also to the tightening of public health spending) and the importance of informal care, LTC quality assurance is a complex task. This study analyzes quality assurance indicators used at national level or recommended at local level in selected EU countries for monitoring the service of LTC providers. This analysis has the goal to assess the link between LTC system organization and LTC monitoring of performance measures of LTC providers in the following EU countries: Estonia, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, The Netherlands, and the UK