Association Between Advanced Care Management and Progression of Care Needs Level in Long-Term Care Recipients: Retrospective Cohort Study

BACKGROUND: Long-term care insurance systems in Japan started a special senior care program overseen by qualified care managers (also known as advanced care managers). However, the relationship between advanced care management and outcomes in long-term care recipients remains unknown. OBJECTIVE: We aimed to compare the outcome of long-term care recipients using facilities with advanced care management and conventional care management, in terms of care needs level progression. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective cohort study using the Survey of Long-Term Care Benefit Expenditures in Japan. We identified those aged ≥65 years who were newly designated a care need level of 3, and received long-term care services between April 2009 and March 2014 in Tokyo. We compared survival without progression of care needs level between the groups, with and without advanced care management, using the Kaplan-Meier method. Factors affecting the outcomes were determined using a multivariable logistic regression model fitted with a generalized estimating equation. RESULTS: Of 45,330 eligible persons, 12,903 (28.46%) received long-term care based on advanced care management. The average duration of progression-free survival was 17.4 (SD 10.2) months. The proportions of five-year cumulative progression-free survival were 41.2% and 32.8% in those with and without advanced care management, respectively. The group with advanced care management had significantly lower care needs levels (odds ratio 0.77, 95% CI, 0.72-0.82, P<.001). CONCLUSIONS: Advanced care management was significantly associated with improved care needs levels.