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Nursing home quality in Magdeburg: Alarming differences discovered!
The article highlights current quality differences in nursing homes in the Altmarkkreis Salzwedel 2023, based on new data from WIdO.
Nursing home quality in Magdeburg: Alarming differences discovered!
A current report on the quality of care in nursing homes is being published today, which sheds light on the situation of many older people in Germany. The AOK Scientific Institute (WIdO) has prepared fresh data that shows that there are major regional differences in the quality of care. The “Care Quality Atlas” records important health aspects down to the district level and leaves hardly any stone unturned.
The evaluation shows that 7.14% of nursing home residents nationwide received a long-term prescription for benzodiazepines and similar substances in 2023. However, these medications, which have a short-term sedative effect, can lead to addiction and other health risks when used long-term. The differences between the federal states are particularly striking: Saxony-Anhalt has the lowest proportion at 2.90%, while Saarland is at the top with 15.88%, where those affected require treatment twice as often as the national average, which is 7.14% [ Magdeburg News ].
Doctors in focus
The analysis also focuses on ophthalmological care for nursing home residents suffering from diabetes. This shows that 79.15% of those affected did not receive an ophthalmological examination in 2023. With a value of 78.78%, Saxony-Anhalt remains just below the national average. The Halle (Saale) district even has the lowest proportion of preventive eye care at 64%, while the Altmark district of Salzwedel has the highest value of 89.68%. A worrying increase can be observed in the Magdeburg district: The proportion of nursing home residents without eye care rose from 72.63% in 2017 to 80.90% in 2023 [ Doctor's newspaper ].
Medications that increase the risk of falling are another big issue. In 2023, 16.23% of nursing home residents receiving such medications had fall-related hospitalizations. Saxony-Anhalt at home with 14.48% has the second lowest value, but has seen no improvement since 2017. Stendal leads the list of the best values here with just 11.82%, while Altmarkkreis Salzwedel is at the other top with 17.05% [ n-tv ].
Need for improvement in the system
The results of the “Care Quality Atlas” provide a clear need for action for political decision-makers and the healthcare system as a whole. The analysis of data from around 350,000 nursing home residents aged 60 and over shows that hardly any improvements can be observed in the critical areas of care. This applies to many aspects of care, including the quality of care for people with dementia and the prevention of avoidable end-of-life hospitalizations. [ Magdeburg News ]
The situation in nursing homes is complex and requires an immediate rethink. The quality atlas shows where more light can be shed and encourages you to improve the quality of care. The portal www.qualitaetsatlas-pflege.de provides a comprehensive overview of the results and is a valuable resource for anyone interested in the topics of nursing and healthcare.