A program to improve the quality of care and lower avoidable hospitalizations in Missouri nursing homes has worked so well that policymakers are trying to expand it to every state.
The Quality Improvement Program for Missouri (QIPMO) began in 1999 as a partnership between University of Missouri Sinclair School of Nursing and the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services. It helps identify illnesses earlier, control the spread of infections and boost patient care.
A May study on the program published in the Journal of the American Medical Directors Association evaluated all 510 Missouri nursing homes that received free services through the QIPMO program between 2020 and 2022. Investigators tracked the number of issues such as urinary tract infections, high-risk pressure ulcers, antipsychotic use, emergency room visits and hospitalizations, as well as others.
“The data gets deep into the nitty-gritty details, but the key takeaway is that every single nursing home that received our QIPMO services saw overall improvement,” Marilyn Rantz, PhD, a professor emerita who has worked in and with the nursing industry for nearly 55 years, said in a statement. “Whether it’s infection control practices, disinfecting procedures in common spaces, education regarding hand-washing or noticing if something seems off with a resident’s behavior, ensuring these evidence-based best practices are being followed around the clock is key. The program has helped improve hundreds — if not thousands — of lives.”
The program comes as the pandemic exposed issues in nursing homes across the country. These included everything from staffing shortages to a lack of personalized care. As a result, the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine chose Rantz to join a committee that released a 2022 report including a recommendation to replicate QIPMO in all states.
“Our work at Mizzou and with the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services has set the standard in terms of raising the bar for nursing home care statewide,” Rantz said. “Now, it is time to get these best practices implemented across the country.”
