Wait Time for First Home Care Service

Identifying Attributes

Care Settings
Home Care
Country
Canada
Publishing Organisation
Health Quality Ontario Home Care Reporting System (HCRS)
Type of Quality Indicator
Process
IOM Quality Dimension
Timeliness
Domain
Wait Time / System Access

Defining Attributes

Definition

Median number of days that new clients of publicly funded home care, who are 19 years or older, waited for home care. It is measured from a request for services to their first home visit for those who applied in the community, or from hospital discharge to their first home visit for those who applied in the hospital. A lower number of days is better.

Numerator

Wait time, in days, between application/discharge and first service.

Denominator

Not applicable.

Exclusions

Only applies to new home care clients.

Use of Risk Adjustment
No
Risk Adjustments

None

Stratifications

Data Attributes

Type of Data Collection
Administrative data
Data Collection Methods

Client Health and Related Information System (CHRIS), Home Care Database (HCD).

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

On-Line Public Reporting, Public Reports (annual report, bulletins and theme reports), Quality Improvement Plans (QIPs).

Reporting Frequency
Reporting Frequency in Days
Indicator Has Recommended Targets
No

Source and Reference Attributes

Evidence Source

Health Quality Ontario. Measuring Up 2018: A yearly report on how Ontario's health system is performing, 2018.

Technical Specifications

Indicator library of Ontario Health website not accessible (transition from health quality ontario website)

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