A new study has identified a set of Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) to improve standards of care for people living with incontinence.
The findings provide a definitive list of 14 recommended KPIs that distinguish between those who can manage their incontinence independently and those who need more care, with the aim of helping people to live dignified lives.
‘There are many types of incontinence, and while outcome measures for over active bladder have been produced, nothing currently exists for the daily management of incontinence. This study has identified the type of outcomes upon which we should focus and has produced tangible KPIs which, if embedded in quality frameworks, will help to advance standards of care,’ said Adrian Wagg, professor of healthy aging and chair of the research panel in this study.
‘Furthermore, because of the methods used in their creation, we know that the KPIs are fully endorsed by both those affected by incontinence and those involved in tackling it.’
Incontinence affects 400 million people around the world, predominantly affecting elderly patients. As few people are cured, the need for adequate patient care is vital but since now, there was no consensus on what ‘good’ incontinence care looks like.
The 14 KPIs are divided into: structural, process and outcome-related indicators, with the latter covering clinical, quality of life and economic factors.
‘We hope the output from this study will make a tangible contribution to the improvement of care provision for people living with incontinence and be adopted by national health and social care systems across the globe,’ said Mattias Abrahamsson, vice president of Incontinence Care Global Hygiene Category.
‘In addition, it will facilitate the creation of a powerful bank of benchmarking data to provide the basis for value-based health care procurement of toileting and containment strategies.’
Structural KPIs:
- Proportion of staff with the skills to perform a continence assessment and prescribe a toileting and containment strategy.
Process KPIs
- Proportion of persons with incontinence in receipt of pads with a documented assessment and formulation of a toileting and containment strategy.
- Mean number of days from referral to assessment for people with incontinence who require a toileting and containment strategy.
- Proportions of persons whose toileting and containment strategy is reviewed.
- Proportion of persons with incontinence who receive education on toileting and containment strategies.
- Proportion of persons with incontinence deemed eligible for a toileting and containment strategy who are offered a choice of product type following assessment of incontinence.
Outcome KPIs:
- Proportion of care dependent persons with incontinence in receipt of a toileting and
- Proportion of persons with incontinence and Incontinence Associated Dermatitis (IAD) who receive a toileting and containment strategy.
- Proportion of persons with incontinence with an indwelling catheter to manage
- Proportion of persons with incontinence managed with a toileting and containment strategy who report “good” or “acceptable” levels of access and support to toilet facilities in their daily lives.
- People with incontinence managed with a toileting and containment strategy who report sustained or improved emotional well-being.
- Proportion of persons managing incontinence with a toileting and containment strategy who are either able to remain in work or take up work.
- Proportion of caregiving relatives of people with incontinence who report an acceptable level of emotional well-being.
- Cost of hospital admissions and re-admissions related to poor management with toileting and containment strategies for incontinence.