Accountability in the City of Toronto's 10 Long-Term Care Homes

• Published in: Healthcare policy Vol. 10; no. SP; pp. 99 - 109
• Main Authors: Wyers, Lindsay, Gamble, Brenda, Deber, Raisa B.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Canada Longwoods Publishing 01.09.2014
• Subjects: Aged, 80 and over; Attitude of Health Personnel; Documentation; Female; Government Regulation; Health Facility Administrators; Homes for the Aged - economics; Homes for the Aged - legislation & jurisprudence; Homes for the Aged - organization & administration; Humans; Interviews as Topic; Long-Term Care - economics; Long-Term Care - legislation & jurisprudence; Long-Term Care - organization & administration; Male; Nursing Homes - economics; Nursing Homes - legislation & jurisprudence; Nursing Homes - organization & administration; Ontario; Patient Safety - legislation & jurisprudence; Patient Safety - standards; Private Sector; Public Sector; Quality of Health Care - legislation & jurisprudence; Quality of Health Care - organization & administration; Quality of Health Care - standards; Research Paper; Social Responsibility; Ontario
• ISSN: 1715-6572; 1715-6580
• DOI: 10.12927/hcpol.2014.23910

Long-term care (LTC) residential homes provide a supportive environment for residents requiring nursing care and assistance with daily living activities. The LTC sector is highly regulated. We examine the approaches taken to ensure the delivery of quality and safe care in 10 LTC homes owned and operated by the City of Toronto, Ontario, focusing on mandatory accountability agreements with the Local Health Integration Networks (LHINs). Results are based on document review and seven interviews with LTC managers responsible for the management and operation of the 10 LTC homes. One issue identified was the challenges associated with implementing new legislative and regulatory requirements to multiple bodies with differing requirements, particularly when boundaries do not coincide (e.g., the City of Toronto's Long-Term Care Homes and Services Division must establish 10 different accountability agreements with the five LHINs that span into the City of Toronto's geographic area).