For a facility to truly claim that quality is continually improving, long term care providers must set a benchmark by which to measure success. There are hundreds of quality measurement tools available and knowing which ones to use can often become a guessing game.

As part of Quality First, Keeping the Promise’s 7-5-5 Plan, AHCA’s Quality Team compiled five recommended Performance Tools that allow organizations to better monitor and manage the five Vital Signs. While not all of these tools may be used in every facility, these instruments provide a means to specifically observe each of the five Vital Signs.

1. LTC Trend Tracker^SM.   This tool allows a long term care facility to compare staffing levels, resident characteristics, survey findings, revenue and cost, Medicare patient days, and quality measures with peers. Additionally, the free, web-based tracker identifies the most appropriate operational areas to work on in order to sustain a high-performing, continuous quality improvement system.  
2. Advancing Excellence, Phase 2. Advancing Excellence helps facilities monitor eight goals: (1) staff turnover, (2) consistent staff assignments, (3) use of physical restraints, (4) prevalence of pressure ulcers, (5) pain, (6) advanced care planning, (7) resident and family satisfaction, (8) staff satisfaction. The initiative offers facilities a wealth of free resources, such as webinars, tip sheets, and “how to” implementation guides. 
3. AHCA/NCAL National Quality Award. This three-tiered program helps providers improve resident, patient, family and staff satisfaction as well as boost a facility’s public image. Bronze applicants develop an organizational profile that includes vision and mission statements, an awareness of customers’ expectations, and a demonstration of their ability to improve a process. Silver applicants demonstrate a level of achievement in their quality journey through good performance outcomes.  Finally, Gold applicants show superior performance over time, based on their systematic approaches to leadership, strategic planning, focus on customers, workforce development, and process management and results. 
4. Consumer Satisfaction Assessment. My InnerView’s patient, resident and family surveying helps providers listen to the voices of their facility’s consumers – patients, residents and families. More specifically, the program offers instruments that (a) provide an understanding of what drives customer satisfaction in a long term care facility, (b) monitor customers’ experience throughout the year, (c) help providers gain deeper insight into survey results, (d) highlight the specific expectations of short-stay and discharged customers and (e) help facilities anticipate the needs of new customers. For more information, please visit .
5. Staff Satisfaction Assessment. This tool helps providers understand the factors that may be inhibiting employee performance. More specifically, the tool helps facilities gain perspective on the level of workforce commitment, monitor their employees’ experiences throughout the year, and evaluate the effectiveness of internal systems and processes that impact employees.