Quality of care in Saxony-Anhalt: Alarming regional differences!

Quality of care in Saxony-Anhalt: Alarming regional differences!

In the last few days, the Care Quality Atlas, which was created by the AOK Scientific Institute (WIdO), has drawn attention. The current data on various care topics for nursing home residents, based on the years 2022 and 2023, show clear regional differences in the quality of care. While many hope for improvements in care, unfortunately there has been little progress compared to the first publication two years ago. That reports Magdeburg clicks.

After all, the quality atlas analyzes down to the district level, which helps to identify problems in care and find solutions. The survey shows that 7.14% of nursing home residents nationwide received a long-term prescription for benzodiazepines, benzodiazepine derivatives and Z-substances in 2023. The long-term risks, such as addictions and other health problems, are particularly concerning. In Saxony-Anhalt, however, the proportion is positive at only 2.90%, while in Saarland the figure is much higher at 15.88%.

The big discrepancy

There are big differences within Saxony-Anhalt, depending on the district. In the Burgenland district, only a small proportion of 1.43% received a permanent prescription, while in the Börde district 4.93% are affected. Another aspect is ophthalmological care for nursing home residents suffering from diabetes: Nationwide, 79.15% did not receive any care, in Saxony-Anhalt this proportion is slightly lower at 78.78%. The value is particularly alarming in the Halle (Saale) district, where only 64% of those affected received a preventive examination.

The data from the quality atlas shows that there is also a need for improvement when it comes to the risk of falls. A total of 16.23% of nursing home residents who received medications that increase the risk of falls required fall-related treatment in hospital in 2023. Saxony-Anhalt has the second lowest value here at 14.48%, while the Stendal district has the best record at 11.82%. Overall, it is these values ​​that provide those responsible with valuable information in order to further optimize the quality of care in nursing homes.

Sleeping pills and their consequences

Another topic that affects older people in the discussion about care is sleeping pills. These are often prescribed by those affected without considering the long-term consequences. The problem is that many older people don't even recognize their addiction. Pharmacy teams are encouraged to address these issues sensitively, without directly speaking of terms such as “dependence” or “addiction”. Instead, they recommend asking yourself together whether the sleeping pill still has the same effect as it did at the beginning. These discussions can make a significant contribution to reducing the dose or even tapering off the medication, which for many leads to an improvement in everyday activities. Like the article of PTA forum clarified, many patients are unsure about the natural sleep cycle and are looking for support.

Overall, the current Nursing Quality Atlas shows how important it is to monitor and adjust the quality of care in nursing homes. This is the only way to minimize health risks and sustainably increase the quality of life of those affected. Further information is available in the online portal Care quality atlas to find.