Implementing best practices in long-term care settings: Strategies to guide health services and policies

Long-term care (LTC) homes saw an unprecedented number of COVID-19 infections and deaths across Canadian provinces and territories. Long-standing deficiencies in the LTC sector contributed to this crisis. Translating evidence-based practices into clinical and policy contexts is a challenge. Policymakers in LTC require information adapted to their context to improve patient experience, population health, the well-being of the care team, healthcare costs and equity. To ensure that policies are based on the latest scientific evidence, research findings must be made available, accessible, and useful to policymakers to help inform decision-making. This project aims to develop a policy brief that offers viable policy options to support decision-making, preparation and implementation of evidence-based practices in LTC. Based on the results of a previous pan-Canadian study, deliberative process and interviews with policymakers, managers, health care professionals involved in LTC, residents or their representatives, a draft a policy brief will be developed. Participants will meet in a virtual policy workshop to present and discuss new research evidence and draft policy options. Finally, a final version of the report will be created based on the comments received during the virtual workshop. This process will allow for a clear and concise language; academic and technical jargon should be drilled down into plain and non-academic language. The policy brief will consider important dimensions such as feasibility, costs, and other pros and cons for a better decision process. A policy brief for the implementation of innovations in LTC, which can support decision-making and give concrete strategies to decision-makers, is necessary to improve patient experience, population health, care team well-being, and healthcare costs.