Growth of Physicians and Nurse Practitioners Practicing Full Time in Nursing Homes

ObjectivesThe objective was to describe the growth of physicians, nurse practitioners (NPs), and physician assistants (PAs) who practice full time in nursing homes, to assess resident and nursing home characteristics associated with receiving care from full-time providers, and describe variation among nursing homes in use of full-time providers.DesignRetrospective cohort study.Setting and ParticipantsA 20% national sample Medicare data on long-term care residents in 2008 to 2018 and the physicians, NPs, and PAs who submitted charges to Medicare for their care.MethodsWe measured the percentage of provider charges for services rendered in nursing homes, in addition to resident and facility characteristics.ResultsFull-time nursing home providers increased from 26.0% of all nursing home providers in 2008 to 44.6% in 2017. The largest increase was in NPs: from 1986 in 2008 to 4479 in 2017. Resident age, sex, Medicaid eligibility, and race/ethnicity had minimal association with the odds of having a full-time provider, whereas residents with an NP primary care provider were 23.0 times more likely (95% confidence interval = 21.6, 24.6) to have a full-time provider. Residents who received care from both a physician and an NP or PA increased from 33.6% in 2008 to 62.5% in 2018. There was large variation among facilities in the percentage of residents with full-time providers, from 5.72% of residents with full-time providers in the bottom quintile of facilities to 91.44% in the top quintile. Individual nursing homes accounted for 59% of the variation in whether a resident had a full-time provider.Conclusions and ImplicationsThe percentage of nursing home residents with full-time providers continues to grow, with very large variation among nursing homes.     

Purchasing High-Quality Community Nursing Home Care: A Will to Work With VHA Diminished by Contracting Burdens

ObjectivesThe Veterans Health Administration (VHA) purchases community nursing home care; however, the administrative burden may lead nursing homes to avoid contracting with the VHA. This study aimed to describe how the VHA's purchasing policies impede or facilitate contracting with nursing homes.DesignSemistructured interviews of key stakeholders in the VHA's community nursing home contracting process.Setting and ParticipantsWe interviewed 15 VHA and 21 nursing home staff at 6 VHA medical centers and 17 nursing homes. VHA medical centers were selected from sites with the greatest magnitude of difference in quality rankings between VHA contracted and noncontracted nursing homes in the same market area.MethodsQualitative content analysis of interviews.ResultsFive themes emerged: (1) VHA purchases nursing home care to fill gaps in geographic, specialty, and quality care needs; (2) business opportunities and the mission to care for Veterans motivate nursing homes to work with the VHA; (3) the VHA's reputation for unreliable or insufficient payment and inability of nursing homes to comply with federal wage standards serve as barriers to establishing contracts; (4) complexity of establishing a contract, ambiguity about new policies, and inadequate VHA staffing for the nursing home inspection team hinder the VHA's ability to establish contracts with nursing homes; and (5) nursing homes that have established corporate processes, nursing home administrators with prior experience working with the VHA, and relationships between VHA and nursing home staff serve as facilitators to establishing new nursing home contracts.Conclusions and ImplicationsNursing homes will work with the VHA, but the process of executing VHA contracts is burdensome. Streamlining and standardizing the purchasing processes and ensuring timely payment may expand the number of nursing homes willing to contract with the VHA, thereby increasing choices for Veterans and becoming a model for other long-term care networks.     

Association Between Clinician Specialization in Nursing Home Care and Nursing Home Clinical Quality Scores

ImportanceWhile the number of prescribing clinicians (physicians and nurse practitioners) who provide any nursing home care remained stable over the past decade, the number of clinicians who focus their practice exclusively on nursing home care has increased by over 30%.ObjectivesTo measure the association between regional trends in clinician specialization in nursing home care and nursing home quality.DesignRetrospective cross-sectional study.Setting and ParticipantsPatients treated in 15,636 nursing homes in 305 US hospital referral regions between 2013 and 2016.MeasuresClinician specialization in nursing home care for 2012–2015 was measured using Medicare fee-for-service billings. Nursing home specialists were defined as generalist physicians (internal medicine, family medicine, geriatrics, and general practice) or advanced practitioners (nurse practitioners and physician assistants) with at least 90% of their billings for care in nursing homes. The number of clinicians was aggregated at the hospital referral region level and divided by the number of occupied Medicare-certified nursing home beds. Nursing Home Compare quality measure scores for 2013–2016 were aggregated at the HHR level, weighted by occupied beds in each nursing home in the hospital referral region. We measured the association between the number of nursing home specialists per 1000 beds and the clinical quality measure scores in the subsequent year using linear regression.ResultsAn increase in nursing home specialists per 1000 occupied beds in a region was associated with lower use of long-stay antipsychotic medications and indwelling bladder catheters, higher prevalence of depressive symptoms, and was not associated with urinary tract infections, use of restraints, or short-stay antipsychotic use.Conclusions and ImplicationsHigher prevalence of nursing home specialists was associated with regional improvements in 2 of 6 quality measures. Future studies should evaluate whether concentrating patient care among clinicians who specialize in nursing home practice improves outcomes for individual patients. The current findings suggest that prescribing clinicians play an important role in nursing home care quality.     

Omissions of Care in Nursing Home Settings: A Narrative Review

ObjectivesThis review aims to (1) examine existing definitions of omissions of care in the healthcare environment and associated characteristics and (2) outline adverse events that may be attributable to omissions of care among nursing home populations.DesignNonsystematic review. A literature search for published articles on care omissions in nursing home settings and related adverse events was performed using the databases PubMed, Web of Science, EBSCO Academic Search Premier, and the Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL) until January 2019. Articles were excluded if they were published in a language other than English or included samples that were not relevant to nursing home settings.Settings and ParticipantsAdult samples in nursing home settings or settings likely to include nursing homes as part of the continuum of care.MeasuresArticles must provide a definition of missed or omitted care relevant to nursing home settings or include adverse events that can be attributed to care omissions.ResultsFrom a total of 2155 articles retrieved, 34 were retained for thematic synthesis. Key themes included broad agreement that any delay or failure of care is an omission; diverse views on including consideration of risks or occurrence of adverse events within the definition; diverse approaches to including components of care delivery systems in the definition; recognition that care in nursing homes includes both clinical and psychosocial care; and awareness that insufficient or inadequate resources to meet care demands can cause omissions. For research on adverse events attributable to omissions, 327 of 8385 articles were included for review. Nineteen adverse events were identified and omissions contributing to their incidence are highlighted.Conclusions/ImplicationsDefinitions of omissions of care for nursing homes vary in scope and level of detail. Substantial evidence connects omissions of care with an array of adverse events in nursing home populations.     

Advance Care Planning in Dutch Nursing Homes During the First Wave of the COVID-19 Pandemic

ObjectivesTo explore how physicians in Dutch nursing homes practiced advance care planning (ACP) during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, and to explore whether and how ACP changed during the first wave of the pandemic.DesignQualitative analysis of an online, mainly open-ended questionnaire on ACP among physicians working in nursing homes in the Netherlands during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic.Setting and ParticipantsPhysicians in Dutch nursing homes.MethodsRespondents were asked to describe a recent case in which they had a discussion on anticipatory medical care decisions and to indicate whether ACP was influenced by the COVID-19 pandemic in that specific case and in general. Answers were independently coded and a codebook was compiled in which the codes were ordered by themes that emerged from the data.ResultsA total of 129 questionnaires were filled out. Saturation was reached after analyzing 60 questionnaires. Four main themes evolved after coding the questionnaires: reasons for ACP discussion, discussing ACP, topics discussed in ACP, and decision making in ACP. COVID-19–specific changes in ACP indicated by respondents included (1) COVID-19 infection as a reason for initiating ACP, (2) a higher frequency of ACP discussions, (3) less face-to-face contact with surrogate decision makers, and (4) intensive care unit admission as an additional topic in anticipatory medical decision making.Conclusions and ImplicationsACP in Dutch nursing homes has changed because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Maintaining frequent and informal contact with surrogate decision makers fosters mutual understanding and aids the decision-making process in ACP.     

Decline in Veterans’ Admissions to Nursing Homes during COVID-19: Fewer Beds,More Fear,and Finding Alternative Care Settings

ObjectiveExamine the decline in admission to community nursing homes among Veterans that occurred following the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.DesignMultimethods study using Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) purchasing records to examine trends in total admissions and semistructured interviews with staff connected to the VA community nursing home program to contextualize observed trends.Setting and participantsAll VA-paid admissions to community nursing homes (N = 56,720 admissions) and national data on nursing home admissions from LTCFocUS. Semistructured interviews were conducted with 9 VA staff from 4 VA medical centers working in the VA community nursing home program, including social workers, nurses, and program coordinators.ResultsBetween April and December 2020, community nursing home admissions among Veterans were 35% lower compared with the same period in 2019. Nationally, total nursing home admissions decreased by 19.6%. VA community nursing home program staff described 3 themes that contributed to this decline: (1) fewer nursing home beds available, (2) lower admissions due to fear of Veterans being exposed to COVID-19 in nursing homes, and (3) leaving nursing homes in favor of living at home with home-based care.Conclusions and ImplicationsThe decline in nursing home admissions among Veterans raises questions about how replacing nursing home care in favor of home- and community-based care affects the health outcomes and well-being of Veterans and their caregivers.     

Trends in Post-Acute Care in US Nursing Homes: 2001-2017

ObjectiveTo describe recent trends in post-acute care provision within nursing homes, focusing specifically on nursing homes’ degree of specialization in post-acute care.DesignRetrospective cohort study.Setting and ParticipantsAll US nursing homes between 2001 and 2017 and all fee-for-service Medicare admissions to nursing homes for post-acute care during that time.MethodsWe measured post-acute care specialization as annual Medicare admissions per bed for each nursing home and examined changes in the distribution of specialization across nursing homes over the study period. We described the characteristics of nursing homes and the patients they serve based on degree of specialization.ResultsThe average number of Medicare admissions per bed increased from 1.2 in 2001 to 1.6 in 2017, a relative increase of 41%. This upward trend in the number of Medicare admissions per bed was largest among new nursing homes (those established after 2001), increasing 68% from 2001 to 2017. In contrast, nursing homes that eventually closed during the study period experienced no meaningful growth in the number of admissions per bed. Over time, the number of Medicare admissions per bed increased among highly specialized nursing homes. The number of Medicare admissions per bed grew by 66% at the 95th percentile and by 25% at the 99th percentile. Nursing homes delivering the most post-acute care were more likely to be for-profit or part of a chain, had higher staffing levels, and were less likely to admit patients who were Black, Hispanic, or dually enrolled in Medicare and Medicaid.Conclusions and ImplicationsOver the last 2 decades, post-acute care has become increasingly concentrated in a subset of nursing homes, which tend to be for-profit, part of a chain, and less likely to serve racial and ethnic minorities and persons on Medicaid. Although these nursing homes may benefit financially from higher Medicare payment, it may come at the expense of equitable access and patient care.     

Continuous Palliative Sedation Until Death: The Development of a Practice Protocol for Nursing Homes

ObjectivesChallenges inherent in the practice of continuous palliative sedation until death appear to be particularly pervasive in nursing homes. We aimed to develop a protocol to improve the quality of the practice in Belgian nursing homes.MethodsThe development of the protocol was based on the Medical Research Council Framework and made use of the findings of a systematic review of existing improvement initiatives and focus groups with 71 health care professionals [palliative care physicians, general practitioners (GPs), and nursing home staff] identifying perceived barriers to the use of continuous palliative sedation until death in nursing homes. The protocol was then reviewed and refined by another 70 health care professionals (palliative care physicians, geriatricians, GPs, and nursing home staff) through 10 expert panels.ResultsThe final protocol was signed off by expert panels after 2 consultation rounds in which the remaining issues were ironed out. The protocol encompassed 7 sequential steps and is primarily focused on clarification of the medical and social situation, communication with all care providers involved and with the resident and/or relatives, the organization of care, the actual performance of continuous sedation, and the supporting of relatives and care providers during and after the procedure. Although consistent with existing guidelines, our protocol describes more comprehensively recommendations about coordination and collaboration practices in nursing homes as well as specific matters such as how to communicate with fellow residents and give them the opportunity to say goodbye in some way to the person who is dying.Conclusions and ImplicationsThis study succeeded in developing a practice protocol for continuous palliative sedation until death adapted to the specific context of nursing homes. Before implementing it, future research should focus on developing profound implementation strategies and on thoroughly evaluating its effectiveness.     

Changes in Long-Term Care Markets: Assisted Living Supply and the Prevalence of Low-Care Residents in Nursing Homes

ObjectivesTo assess the effect of changes in assisted living (AL) capacity within a market on prevalence of residents with low care needs in nursing homes.DesignRetrospective, longitudinal analysis of nursing home markets.Setting and participantsTwelve thousand two hundred fifity-one nursing homes in operation during 2007 and 2014.MeasurementsWe analyzed the percentage of residents in a nursing home who qualified as low-care. For each nursing home, we constructed a market consisting of AL communities, Medicare beneficiaries, and competing nursing homes within a 15-mile radius. We estimated the effect of change in AL beds on prevalence of low-care residents using multivariate linear models with year and nursing home fixed effects.ResultsThe supply of AL beds increased by an average 258 beds per nursing home market (standard deviation = 591) during the study period. The prevalence of low-care residents decreased from an average of 13.0% (median 10.5%) to 12.2% (median 9.5%). In adjusted models, a 100-bed increase in AL supply was associated with a decrease in low-care residents of 0.041 percentage points (P = .026), controlling for changes in market and nursing home characteristics, county demographics, and year and nursing home fixed effects. In markets with a high percentage of its Medicare beneficiaries (≥14%) dual eligible for Medicaid, the effect of AL is stronger, with a 0.066–percentage point decrease per 100 AL beds (P = .026) vs a 0.016–percentage point decrease in low-duals markets (P = .48).Conclusions and implicationsOur analysis suggests that some of the growth in AL capacity serves as a substitute for nursing homes for patients with low care needs. Furthermore, the effects are concentrated in markets with an above-average proportion of beneficiaries with dual Medicaid eligibility.     

Nursing Homes and End-of-Life Care in Japan

Objectives

To describe end-of-life care in Japanese nursing homes by comparing facility and characteristics of residents dying in nursing homes with those who had been transferred and had died in hospitals, and by comparing the quality of end-of-life care with hospitals and with their respective counterparts in the United States.

Setting

National sample of 653 nursing homes with responses from 371 (57%) on their facility characteristics, 241 (37%) on their resident characteristics, and 92 (14%) on the residents’ quality of life. All 5 hospitals in a city 80 miles from Tokyo cooperated.

Participants

Nursing home staff answered questionnaires on facility and resident characteristics. Resident level data were obtained from 1158. The questionnaire on the quality of care was responded to by 256 (63%) of the decedents’ families in nursing homes and 205 (48%) in hospitals.

Measurements

Facility characteristics included items on physicians, nurse staffing, and the facility’s end-of-life care policy. Resident characteristics included basic demographics, level of dementia, and resident’s and family’s preference for the site of death. The Toolkit was used to measure the quality of end-of-life care.

Results

The proportion of those dying within the nursing home was related to the facility’s policy on end-of-life care and the family’s preference. The quality of end-of-life care in nursing homes was generally better than in hospitals, and than in their respective counterparts in the United States.

Conclusion

Financial incentives by the Japanese government to promote end-of-life care in nursing homes may have contributed to increasing the proportion of deaths within the facility. The quality of care in nursing homes was evaluated as being better than hospitals.     

Atención sociosanitaria en una residencia urbana sanitarizada y el papel de Atención Primaria. Estudio cualitativo con residentes,familiares y profesionales

AimTo identify the elements involved in adequate health and social care for old people living in nursing homes, determine their possible barriers and enablers and define primary care's role in it.DesignQualitative study with phenomenological approach.SettingState funded private nursing home and its corresponding primary care center in the southeastern urban area of Madrid.ParticipantsElderly residents, their relatives, and professionals from the nursing home and the primary care center.MethodFive focus groups were conducted between November 2019 and January 2020, with semi-structured interviews based on the variables of analysis and themes related to the objectives. The sessions were recorded and transcribed. An open and axial coding was performed to identify categories after a triangulation of the data.ResultsThe elements of adequate care identified are individualized care, promotion of autonomy, adequate information to residents and relatives, quality of services, coordination between professionals, and a continuous end of life care. The main barriers are the deficit of professionals, the differences in expectations between users and workers, and the organizational gap between the healthcare system and nursing homes providing healthcare services. The role identified for primary care is mostly bureaucratic.ConclusionsIt is necessary to continue exploring these elements and to outline the role of primary care in nursing homes with different characteristics.     

Hospice in the Nursing Home: Perspectives of Front Line Nursing Home Staff

ObjectiveUse of hospice has been associated with improved outcomes for nursing home residents and attitudes of nursing home staff toward hospice influences hospice referral. The objective of this study is to describe attitudes of certified nursing assistants (CNAs), nurses, and social workers toward hospice care in nursing homes.Design, setting, and participantsWe conducted a survey of 1859 staff from 52 Indiana nursing homes.MeasurementsStudy data include responses to 6 scaled questions and 3 open-ended qualitative prompts. In addition, respondents who cared for a resident on hospice in the nursing home were asked how often hospice: (1) makes their job easier; (2) is responsive when a patient has symptoms or is actively dying; (3) makes care coordination smooth; (4) is needed; (5) taught them something; and (6) is appreciated by patients/families. Responses were dichotomized as always/often or sometimes/never.ResultsA total of 1229 surveys met criteria for inclusion. Of the respondents, 48% were CNAs, 49% were nurses, and 3% were social workers; 83% reported caring for a nursing home patient on hospice. The statement with the highest proportion of always/often rating was ‘patient/family appreciate added care’ (84%); the lowest was ‘hospice makes my job easier’ (54%). More social workers responded favorably regarding hospice responsiveness and coordination of care compared with CNAs (P = .03 and P = .05, respectively).ConclusionsA majority of staff responded favorably regarding hospice care in nursing homes. About one-third of nursing home staff rated coordination of care lower than other aspects, and many qualitative comments highlighted examples of when hospice was not responsive to patient needs, representing important opportunities for improvement.     

A Randomized Controlled Trial of a Digital Adaptation of the WHELD Person-Centered Nursing Home Training Program

ObjectiveDigital approaches to delivering person-centered care training to nursing home staff have the potential to enable widespread affordable implementation, but there is very limited evidence and no randomized controlled trials (RCTs) evaluating digital training in the nursing home setting. The objective was to evaluate a digital person-centered care training intervention in a robust RCT.DesignWe conducted a 2-month cluster RCT in 16 nursing homes in the United Kingdom, randomized equally to receive a digitally adapted version of the WHELD person-centered care home training program with virtual coaching compared to the digital training program alone.Setting and ParticipantsThe study was conducted in UK nursing homes. There were 175 participants (45 nursing home staff and 130 residents with dementia).MethodsThe key outcomes were the well-being and quality of life (QoL) of residents with dementia and the attitudes and knowledge of nursing home staff.ResultsThere were significant benefits in well-being (t = 2.76, P = .007) and engagement in positive activities (t = 2.34, P = .02) for residents with dementia and in attitudes (t = 3.49, P = .001), including hope (t = 2.62, P = .013) and personhood (t = 2.26, P = .029), for staff in the group receiving digital eWHELD with virtual coaching compared to the group receiving digital learning alone. There was no improvement in staff knowledge about dementia.Conclusion and ImplicationsThe study provides encouraging initial clinical trial evidence that a digital version of the WHELD program supported by virtual coaching confers significant benefits for care staff and residents with dementia. Evidence-based digital interventions with remote coaching may also have particular utility in supporting institutional recovery of nursing homes from the COVID-19 pandemic.