Explored Study on Quality of Care in Long-Term Care Institutions in Taiwan: An Example of Big Data Analysis

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Objective: The issue of long-term care owing to an aging population has gradually attracted attention. The care quality of residential long-term care institutions is a problem that requires urgent attention. In the present paper, the residential long-term care information management system database was used to study long-term monitoring markers for long-term care institution care quality and to examine differences under longitudinal and cross-sectional observations and their risk factors. Method: A residential long-term care information management system database was used with consent from long-term care institutions. An information system company provided service for transcoding identifiable personal information of the institutions and residents, and the codes were provided to the researcher. Two years of data of 263 new residents who were enrolled in 2017–2018 were obtained. We examined the quarterly changes in ADL/IADL scores, cognitive function, weight, and other markers, and the distribution status of care quality markers. All indicators are calculated from the cross-section of all residents in the season and the data observed from the inhabitants’ residence. In order to explore the two ways of calculating indicators, it is better to present the quality of institutional care. Result: The sex ratio (male: 52.5%) in this study was approximately equal, mean age was 77.2 years, and the mean length of stay was 124.4 days. No significant trends were noted in quality markers in cross-sectional observations. However, under longitudinal observations, the ADL and MMSE scores increased before the sixth quarter, while falls and the ratio of unplanned hospital transfers decreased over time. Conclusion: The effects of new resident data on markers can be controlled through longitudinal observations, thereby directly reflecting the changes in various markers on the markers after residents were admitted to care institutions. Therefore, longitudinal observations of long-term care institution care quality may be more meaningful than cross-sectional observations.