Elapsed Time for Aged Care Services: Residential Aged Care

Identifying Attributes

Care Settings
Care Transitions
Country
Australia
Publishing Organisation
National Healthcare Agreement
Type of Quality Indicator
Process
IOM Quality Dimension
Timeliness
Domain
Access / Waiting Times

Defining Attributes

Definition

The elapsed time between an Aged Care Assessment Team approval and entry into a residential aged care service. Presented as percentages of people admitted by length of the elapsed time period and service type.

Numerator

Number of aged care recipients who first commence a service within elapsed time periods during the financial year. Elapsed time is calculated by subtracting the date at which the person enters residential aged care from the approval date of the most recent Aged Care Assessment Team assessment.

Denominator

Total number of aged care recipients who first commence a service during the financial year, excluding those whose Aged Care Assessment Team approval was on or after commencement in a service.

Exclusions
Use of Risk Adjustment
No
Risk Adjustments
Stratifications

By length of the elapsed time period (within 2 days or less, 7 days or less, less than 1 month, less than 3 months, less than 9 months, and 9 months and over) and service type.

Data Attributes

Type of Data Collection
Administrative data
Data Collection Methods

The Australian Government Department of Health's Ageing and Aged Care data warehouse holds data for residential and community aged care programs administered by the Department. The warehouse holds data on: service providers; services; places; people; assessments; outputs; funding; quality and compliance. The data are provided by: service providers, Aged Care Assessment Teams, Medicare Australia and the Aged Care Accreditation Agency.

Frequency of Data Collection
Continuous
Frequency of Data Collection in Days
1
Reporting Methods

Productivity Commission Report on Government Services.

Reporting Frequency
Annually
Reporting Frequency in Days
365
Indicator Has Recommended Targets
No

Source and Reference Attributes

Technical Specifications
Link to Measurement Tools
Quality Indicator Confirmed to be Part of a Program Used to Monitor Quality and Safety of Care Among Older People at a Population-Level between 2012-2022
Yes
Assessed by the Australian Consortium for Aged Care Collaborators as Generally Containing Good Properties (Importance and Scientific Acceptability)
Yes
Australian Consortium for Aged Care Endorsed
No
Identified by PHARMA-Care Project
No
Upload Date
12 March 2025