Strategy of a Visiting Nursing Station by Comparison of Client Satisfaction and Cost with Other Station

Abstract

We conducted strategy of "A" Visiting Nursing Station where there were cumulative deficits by comparison of client satisfaction and cost with other stations. Client satisfaction survey was carried out for the quality of visiting nursing care. Subjects were 242 clients of 8 visiting nursing stations who participated in the survey. The questionnaire consisted of visiting nursing care items for clients and satisfaction for client outcomes items. Managers filled in the cost survey sheet asking on financial management including revenue, expense, profit, unit price, number of home visits and number of clients. The study period was one month in September 1999 and one month in September 2000 before and after the introduction of the long-term care insurance program. We used t-test to compare "A" Visiting Nursing Station and other stations. As a result, the clients in "A" Visiting Nursing Station were more independent but more demented, and tended to show lower satisfaction in "information and guidance." Although the unit price for a home visit was high, the number of clients and the number of home visits were less than a half compared with other stations. Thus, it resulted in lower revenues. Base on these results, action plans for management were made that are stimulating staff awareness aiming at increasing the number of clients and improvement of client satisfaction on information and guidance, marketing activities for related facilities, and seminars for dementia care and technical guidance.