U.S. Agency Awards $1.1 Million Grant to NYAHSA's Foundation for Long Term Care; Health Care Technology and Nursing Education Focus of New Grant Program.

ALBANY, N.Y. -- The federal Department of Health and Human Services has awarded a $1.1 million grant to the Foundation for Long Term Care for the creation of educational programs designed to educate nursing professionals about emerging technologies and the role they play in patient care. The FLTC is the research affiliate of the New York Association of Homes and Services for the Aging (NYAHSA). Grant monies were awarded through the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) grant program Nurse Education, Practice and Retention.

The grant is one of the largest ever awarded to a health care provider trade association in New York. During the course of the three-year project known as "The Numbers Count: Using MDS Quality Indicators to Improve Resident Outcomes," the Foundation for Long Term Care and its staff members will develop, pilot test, implement and evaluate progressive methods of providing training on accessing, interpreting, and optimizing the use of computerized patient data. The project will also focus on the complex Quality Indicators (QIs) and Quality Measures (QMs), which are now used by regulators, state surveyors and consumers to evaluate and compare the quality of care provided by nursing homes.

"NYAHSA and the FLTC appreciate receiving this Department of Health and Human Services HRSA grant which will help us work together to improve the quality of long term care across the country," said Carl S. Young, president of NYAHSA.

"Technology is playing an ever-increasing role in providing high quality long term care," said Dr. Christie Teigland, project director and director of healthcare economics and statistics at NYAHSA. "Our goal with this grant and its resources is to help nursing home personnel develop the skills they need so they can use data and technology to analyze patient information and become proactive caregivers, preventing problems before they occur."

According to various industry analyses, nursing homes have lagged behind other healthcare sectors in the use of information technology. While regulators and stakeholders have proposed several strategies to improve the quality of care in nursing homes, such as improving information systems for quality monitoring and strengthening the care-giving workforce, these are not possible given the current low data and technology sophistication of nursing homes and their staffs. Major legislative and federal initiatives have focused on resolving the financial and technical issues surrounding the use of health care technology, but a workforce capable of leading its implementation still must be developed.

New nursing informatics skills, also known as data analysis using computer software and other technology, are now required to practice effectively and provide high quality care in today's long term care (LTC) settings. Through this grant program, long term care professionals will improve such skills as basic computer use and Internet access, fundamental data analysis and interpretation, and other tools needed to translate resident assessment data into knowledge-based information which can be used to identify quality improvement opportunities.

Using portable classrooms and Web-based distance learning programs, the FLTC will bring four sequential education modules to more than 500 nurses in at least 10 rural and five urban communities in New York. The training will focus on integrating informatics into interdisciplinary care teams; the role of data analysis in state and federal surveys and facility risk management; and using data-driven care planning and evidence-based protocols to improve outcomes for residents. As has been demonstrated in other health care sectors, use of this type of information can reduce adverse outcomes such as falls, pressure ulcers and weight loss.

Availability of the education tools developed by the FLTC will be assisted by the development of online, self-teaching modules, train-the-trainer programs comprised of PowerPoint presentations, workbooks and education modules in CD/DVD formats, and through incorporation into nurse education curriculums. The education will be facilitated by NYAHSA's EQuIP for Quality(TM) software program, an Internet-based clinical informatics tool used by more than 400 nursing homes in 22 states across the nation.

Founded in 1961, the New York Association of Homes and Services for the Aging is the only statewide organization representing the entire continuum of not-for-profit and public continuing care, including nursing homes, senior housing, adult care facilities, continuing care retirement communities, assisted living providers, and community service providers. NYAHSA's more than 650 mission-driven members serve an estimated 500,000 New Yorkers of all ages annually.

The Foundation for Long Term Care (FLTC) is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization specializing in educational and research activities.

EQuIP for Quality(TM) is a continuous Quality Improvement system changing long term care's focus from retrospective reporting to proactive improvement strategies. EQuIP has a proven track record in improving quality of care while helping providers manage costs. EQuIP has been endorsed as an integral part of the American Association of Homes and Services for the Aging's national Quality First initiative.