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In this paper, individually reported long-term care (LTC) quality indicators have been supplemented with the composite Qindex measure and applied to 614 homes in Ontario, Canada. This study (1) describes the overall quality performance of LTC homes across five years (2012-2017) and (2) determines if organizational factors impact quality performance. The results demonstrate significant, continuous sector-wide improvement in overall quality performance (as assessed by the Qindex) over time and significant differences in quality based on home size, operator size and ownership. This paper positions the Qindex, a global metric of quality, as a valuable tool for quality measurement and management in the LTC sector. Literature Review Approaches to accountability Accountability to governing bodies in healthcare (e.g., government, regional health authority) helps ensure that goals are being met and performance is being improved upon (Deber 2014; Denis 2014; Kromm et al. 2014). According to

Behavioural Supports Ontario (BSO) was launched to enhance the healthcare services for Ontario's seniors, their caregivers and families living and coping with responsive behaviours associated with dementia and other neurological conditions. The implementation of the program varied across and within the local health integration networks (LHINs). By 2015, there were three BSO models operating within the long-term care (LTC) home sector: in-home BSO teams, a mobile team that serves multiple LTC homes within a sub-area of a LHIN and a LHIN-wide mobile team that provides services to all homes. A survey was undertaken to identify the differences among the BSO models of care in relation to care planning, collaboration and team building and home-level resident outcomes. We found that three years after implementation, LTC staff reported that the in-home BSO model out-performs the mobile team across all key measures. There is a role for mobile teams to provide expertise and sharing of best practices across the regions, but future policy and funding should focus on supporting the development of in-home BSO teams.

Background People living with schizophrenia are 3 times more likely to smoke than the general population, and have fewer and less successful quitting attempts. In concert with psychosocial quit interventions, there is a need for evidence based pharmacological interventions to assist people living with schizophrenia achieve smoking abstinence. Methods We systematically searched PubMed, PsycInfo, EMBASE and Cochrane for randomised controlled trials of pharmacological interventions for reducing smoking among people living with schizophrenia. We conducted pairwise and network meta-analyses of effectiveness of interventions for achieving abstinence and reduction in smoking. We also examined psychiatric and physical adverse events of interventions. Results Nineteen studies were included in the systematic review. Data was available for buproprion, varenicline and nicotine replacement therapy (NRT). Buproprion (RR 3.4, 95%CI 1.6–7.3, p=0.002), varenicline (RR 3.8, 95%CI 2.0–7.2, p<0.001) and NRT (RR 4.3, 95%CI 1.7–10.7, p=0.002) were all associated with increased rates of abstinence in pairwise meta-analyses. In a network meta-analysis varenicline was superior to buproprion (RR 2.0, 95%CI 1.0–3.9), however there was no statistically significant difference between varenicline and NRT or buproprion and NRT. Varenicline was associated with higher rates of nausea than placebo. Discussion Buproprion, varenicline and NRT were all superior to placebo for achieving abstinence. Varenicline appears to be superior to buproprion for achieving abstinence, however varenicline is associated with higher rates of nausea.