FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Vital Research
(888) 848-2511
Harold Urman, President
info@vitalresearch.com
Los Angeles, CA – February 2024 – Vital Research, a California-based consulting firm specializing in inclusive social science research, is thrilled to announce the launch of the highly anticipated Post-Admissions Survey, the latest addition to the Integrated Satisfaction Measurement (I-SAT™) PACE survey family. PACE, or Program of All-inclusive Care for the Elderly, is a program utilized in 32 states currently. Vital Research, in partnership with the California PACE Association (CalPACE), conducts I-SAT surveys in nearly 75% of PACE centers in the country. This newest survey aims to gather valuable insights into the reasons why participants remain in PACE and early warning signs that might indicate that a participant is considering other options beside PACE.
Effective January 2024, California's Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) will require the state's PACE organizations to participate in the I-SAT survey and submit results to the department annually. The policy change comes after years of voluntary I-SAT participation providing invaluable quality and performance benchmarks for PACE sites across California.
The Post-Admissions Survey is expected to officially launch in 2024, following the successful completion of the testing and validation phase. This new survey is set to revolutionize the way PACE organizations understand and address participant turnover. By gathering data on the factors influencing attrition rates, this survey will empower PACE programs to make informed decisions and implement targeted improvements to enhance participant retention and the quality of care provided.
The Post-Admissions Survey joins the existing I-SAT surveys of the Participant Survey (the most reliable and valid tool for gathering quality of care and service information from PACE participants), and its corresponding Family/Caregiver and Employee Engagement surveys.
Over the years, Vital Research has played a pivotal role in developing the assessment of care quality within the PACE community. The I-SAT survey, initially launched in 2009 to gauge participant satisfaction in PACE programs, quickly gained recognition as a robust and reliable tool. To date, over 80,000 PACE participants have participated in the I-SAT survey, enabling PACE centers to identify strengths and areas for improvement across key domains such as transportation, home care, medical care, and meals.
“Our partnership with the California PACE Association has been instrumental in developing this forward-thinking survey,” stated Harold Urman, PhD, President of Vital Research. “Together, we are committed to fostering a culture of continuous learning and improvement within the PACE community to ensure the population served by PACE receives the highest quality of care.”
Vital Research’s unwavering dedication to enhancing the quality of services and experiences for the aging adult population served by PACE has not gone unnoticed. In a significant move, the state of California recently incorporated the I-SAT survey into its PACE program policies, effective January 2024, making it the third state to mandate the survey. This recognition further highlights the value and impact of the I-SAT survey as a consistent and leading source of actionable insights for PACE organizations. PACE centers across the nation that partner with Vital Research receive customized analytical reports, benchmark their performance against peer organizations, and utilize these insights to inform policy decisions and best practices.
About Vital Research
Since 1982, Vital Research has provided research and evaluation services to organizations focused on social change in the areas of Aging and Disabilities, Health, Community Services, and Education. Vital Research designs and implements research studies as well as formative and summative evaluations to understand people’s lived experiences and the social, economic, and community benefits of programs. Learn more at vitalresearch.com.