Measures of quality in long-term care facilities

Although marketing does not play a large role in the Canadian health-care system, acute care facilities have been conducting patient satisfaction surveys as a quality measurement tool for a number of years. More recently those in the long-term care system have expressed an interest in this concept. This study set out to determine if long-term care facilities in the Ministry of Health, Ontario Central West Region, conduct consumer satisfaction surveys. If they do, the study asked how the information is utilized and, if they do not, why not. This paper will highlight issues of service quality, health-care quality and health-care consumer satisfaction. This study is focused on long-term care; however, the majority of the available research and information pertains to the acute care system. Although the principles of quality measurement and consumer satisfaction are the same for acute and long-term care, our findings will identify the unique ways in which these principles apply to the long-term care system.