24-Hour Care: Demand for Stronger Quality Controls

Both the association "ChronischKrank" and the co-managing director of the placement agency Bestcare24 called for appropriate steps from the politicians in a conversation with APA. The compliance with the criteria for the quality certificate "ÖQZ-24" should also be more strictly controlled, it was said.

Bettina Löfler, co-managing director of Bestcare24, renewed her demand for binding standards in 24-hour care, which was expressed in early summer, to APA. A legal model with subsidies was created for this in 2007. The quality certificate ÖQZ-24, introduced in 2019, is good and important so that people dependent on 24-hour care have a point of reference. However, stricter control of compliance with the criteria is necessary, Löfler sees a need for change. "If I spend a lot of money on it, I want to know that the quality is right," she said.

24-Hour Care: Quality Visits by Trained Personnel Important

Very important is the compliance with the prescribed "quality visits" by trained professional staff - right at the beginning of the care period. "The seal should guarantee that," said Löfler. According to the certificate (see https://oeqz.at), these visits should be conducted by certified health and nursing staff from the start of care and at least once a quarter. This is to ensure that the nursing tasks and requirements beyond the care are assessed and implemented in accordance with the law by nursing professionals, according to the documents of the certification body.

For Löfler, the Ministry of Social Affairs is "a bit too lax in controlling this." A deadline must be set for non-compliance - and if necessary, the certification should also be revoked. Currently, according to the ÖQZ-24 website, only 38 agencies are certified or in the process of recertification. Thus, only a small number of the several hundred agencies in this sector, according to the Chamber of Commerce website (https://go.apa.at/1nwB0kh0), are equipped with this seal.

Cost Transparency Demanded

Löfler also has the image of the industry in mind: "24-hour care does not have the best reputation. The certificate does not make much sense if not everyone adheres to it." The system must be fair - for all providers, but also all clients - and above all transparent in pricing.

The required quality standards would incur costs, according to the managing director - at "BestCare24," for example, the quality visits are already included, and this is also transparently itemized in the price. However, she misses this transparency with other providers - especially also outside the certified agencies.

This is also where "ChronischKrank" chairman Jürgen Holzinger steps in: Non-transparent pricing is a common problem. For example, care services are offered in top-ranked Google ads for a low sum per hour, but significantly higher amounts appear on the invoice.

Higher training standards needed

To receive the "ÖQZ-24" certification, only caregivers who have a theoretical education essentially equivalent to that of a home helper or have been properly caring for the dependent person for at least six months may be placed. The agency responsible for placement must verify this, emphasized Löfler. Bestcare24 operates its own recruiting in the countries of origin for this purpose.

"ChronischKrank" chairman Holzinger generally calls for minimum training and quality standards - even aside from the quality certificate. He sees the Chamber of Commerce (WKO) as responsible for creating certified training centers in the countries of origin or certifying existing ones. He also pointed out that the chamber receives the chamber levy from the registered caregivers, so the chamber should also provide something on the supply side.

24-hour care: Protection of caregivers demanded

Holzinger also pointed out the necessity of private legal protection insurance for caregivers to independently enforce their rights in case of problems with placement agencies. A professional liability insurance is also on the chairman's wish list. Accidents and damages caused by caregivers must be covered - this too could be covered and organized by the WKO with the chamber levy it collects from caregivers. So far, there is only a recommendation from the chamber in this regard, Holzinger regretted.

Pitfalls for clients

The association chairman critically noted a circumstance regarding the funding of 24-hour care: If self-employed caregivers do not pay their social security contributions - or retroactively deregister from social security - the care recipients can lose the funding for 24-hour care. In some cases, repayments are even required. Therefore, Holzinger demands that the Ministry of Social Affairs Service electronically checks the payment of SVA contributions so that care recipients no longer have to verify themselves whether the contributions have been paid.

(APA/Red)

This article has been automatically translated, read the original article here.