A study by Canadian researchers reported that non-profit nursing homes provide better care than for-profit nursing homes.  The study reviewed the results from 82 studies from Canada and the United States conducted from 1965 through 2003. 

Forty of these studies revealed that the non-profit facilities provided better care, while three studies revealed that for-profit homes provided better care.  The rest of the studies had mixed results.  The study estimated that U.S. nursing home residents would receive 50,000 more hours of nursing care a day and Canadian residents would receive 42,000 more hours of nursing care a day if all nursing homes were non-profit.  

The non-profit nursing homes were ranked better than for-profit facilities in four areas:

• Low or higher-quality staffing
• Lower pressure sore rates
• Less use of physical restraints
• Fewer deficiencies cited by regulators

It is important to determine how to best provide the necessary level of care to one of society’s most vulnerable populations, the elderly.  More research is necessary in order to learn more about the connection between the for-profit status and quality of care.

Resources:

Fierce Healthcare - Study: Not-For Profit Nursing Homes Offer Higher Quality Than For-Profits

HealthDay – Not-For-Profit Nursing Homes Fare Better In Studies