Executive Summary
As of July 1, 2023, reporting on Proton Pump Inhibitor (PPI) usage became a mandatory component of the National Aged Care Mandatory Quality Indicator (QI) Program. This interactive guide is designed to help providers, including Public Sector Residential Aged Care Services (PSRACS), understand this new requirement. You'll learn what the PPI indicator is, how it connects directly to accreditation under the Aged Care Quality Standards, and how to interpret and use your facility's data for continuous quality improvement. High or poorly justified PPI usage is a significant clinical risk and a key focus for auditors.
Mandatory Since
July 1, 2023
A key part of the expanded QI Program
National Average PPI Use
~55%
Percentage of residents receiving a PPI
Linked to Standard
Standard 3
Safe and Effective Clinical Care
โจ Clinical Evidence Consult (Grounded Search)
Consult the latest evidence on PPIs. Ask about specific risks, alternatives, or guidelines to inform policy and clinical practice. Answers are grounded in real-time search results.
Grounded expert responses and citations will appear here.
Understanding the PPI Quality Indicator
The National Aged Care Mandatory Quality Indicator (QI) Program requires all approved residential aged care services to measure and report on specific aspects of care. The PPI indicator was introduced to highlight the risks associated with long-term, unreviewed use of these medications. The goal is to encourage appropriate prescribing and regular medication reviews to ensure resident safety and well-being. This section breaks down exactly what needs to be measured and why.
Data Collection Protocol
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What is Measured?
The percentage of care recipients who were administered a PPI at least once during a 7-day assessment period each quarter.
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Inclusions
All permanent and short-stay respite residents are included in the denominator. A resident is included in the numerator if their medication chart shows administration of any PPI (e.g., esomeprazole, pantoprazole).
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Exclusions
Residents who are receiving end-of-life care or are absent from the facility for the entire 7-day assessment period are excluded.
Rationale for Monitoring
While effective for specific conditions, long-term PPI use is associated with several health risks:
- ๐ฆด Increased risk of bone fractures.
- ๐ฆ Increased risk of infections like C. difficile.
- ๐ Nutrient malabsorption (e.g., Vitamin B12, Magnesium).
- ๐ค Potential kidney problems and dementia links.
Regular reviews ensure the medication is still necessary and prescribed at the lowest effective dose.
Connecting QI Data to Accreditation
Your facility's QI data is not just a number to be reported; it's a critical piece of evidence used by assessors during accreditation audits. High PPI usage rates will trigger deeper investigation into your clinical governance and medication management systems. This interactive section demonstrates how the PPI Quality Indicator directly informs an assessment against the Aged Care Quality Standards, particularly Standard 3. All services, including PSRACS, must demonstrate compliance.
QI Indicator: PPI Usage
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Your reported data on the percentage of residents using PPIs.
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Aged Care Quality Standard 3: Personal and Clinical Care
An auditor will use your PPI data to assess if you are meeting these key requirements:
- 3(3)(a) Safe and effective care: Are residents on PPIs having their need for the medication regularly reviewed? Is the justification for use documented?
- 3(3)(b) Management of high-impact risk: Is polypharmacy and inappropriate medication use identified and managed as a high-impact risk to residents?
- 3(3)(e) Information sharing: Is information about medication changes communicated effectively with the resident, their GP, and pharmacist?
Auditor's Focus
An assessor won't just look at the rate. They will sample resident files to find evidence of documented clinical justification, regular medication reviews, and consideration of non-pharmacological alternatives for managing conditions like GORD.
โจ Clinical Rationale Draft Tool
Supports Standard 3(3)(a) DocumentationUse this tool to draft a comprehensive clinical rationale for a resident's continued PPI use. Provide key clinical data and let Gemini suggest a structured, audit-ready justification.
Your generated clinical rationale draft will appear here.
Interactive Data Insights
Effective quality improvement starts with understanding your own data. This section provides an interactive chart to help you visualize and explore hypothetical PPI usage data. Use the filter to see how different perspectives can reveal insights. Analyzing your data can help identify trends, benchmark your service against national averages, and pinpoint areas for clinical review and staff education.
โจ QI Action Plan Brainstormer
Click below to generate three actionable quality improvement goals based on a high PPI usage rate (e.g., 68% as seen in Facility A).
Your structured QI goals will appear here, ready for implementation.