Replicating Exceptional Care Planning in New York Nursing Homes

NYHealth previously funded the Foundation for Long Term Care (FLTC) to test the Exceptional Care Planning (ECP) model—an alternative care planning process for the elderly—in nine nursing homes. Under the ECP model, nursing homes develop standards of care for conditions commonly experienced by nursing home residents. The original study demonstrated productivity gains for staff members, translating into a median cost savings of approximately $26,860 per nursing home, as well as a reduction in the number of preventable falls and hospitalizations among residents. Based on these findings, NYHealth awarded FLTC an additional grant to replicate and expand the ECP model in nursing homes across New York State. Replication of ECP would benefit the frail elderly in nursing homes, the staff members who care for them, and the health care system by enhancing quality of care and reducing unnecessary health care costs.