February 19, 2026
A recent publication by IMPACT members Stephanie Kissam, Amy Recker, David Gifford, Vince Mor, and Elizabeth White characterizes the LTC Data Cooperative to orient potential investigators to the types of research questions these data can address.
The study compared facility and resident characteristics between skilled nursing facility (SNF) participants in the LTC Data Cooperative in 2023 and all US SNFs. They examined frequencies and variation in documentation of key EHR data elements, including resident census data, vital signs, blood glucose readings, medication administration records, and immunizations.
Findings indicate that the population captured by the LTC Data Cooperative is broadly comparable to the national nursing home population, with small but statistically significant demographic and clinical differences. Analyses show that most participating facilities consistently documented vital signs, medication administration records, blood glucose readings, and immunizations – clinical measures not available in claims or assessment datasets.
Overall, these findings highlight the LTC Data Cooperative as a novel and robust data resource for research aimed at generating evidence to improve care and outcomes for older adults in nursing homes.
Access the full journal article, titled “Characteristics of the Long-Term Care Data Cooperative: A New Resource for Research on Outcomes in Long-Term Care,” published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.