History of NPALS

Key points

  • The National Post-acute and Long-term Care Study (NPALS) began in 2012.
  • Until 2020, NPALS was called the National Study of Long-term Care Providers, or NSLTCP.
  • The NPALS transition expanded what NSLTCP studied.
National Post-acute and Long-term Care Survey logo showing a shield with 4 health care-related icons

Background

In 2020, the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) launched the National Post-acute and Long-term Care Study (NPALS). NPALS expanded the National Study of Long-Term Care Providers (NSLTCP).

In 2012, NSLTCP had replaced NCHS's previous National Nursing Home Survey, National Home and Hospice Care Survey, and National Survey of Residential Care Facilities.

A new name, an expanded scope

The new name reflects the addition of inpatient rehabilitation facilities and long-term care hospitals to the study.

NPALS also continues to look at the five sectors previously included in NSLTCP—

Achieving integrated data collection

In 2009, an external review panel convened by the NCHS Board of Scientific Counselors issued recommendations for studying long-term care providers. The panel advised NCHS to integrate all existing and future long-term care provider surveys into a unified study. NPALS is the result of this recommendation.

In keeping with the panel's recommendation, NPALS aims to—

  • Monitor the diverse post-acute and long-term care sectors
  • Provide an overall picture of all aspects of long-term care at the same point in time
  • Fill the gaps in coverage of long-term care providers and recipients
  • Address uncertainties and challenges in fielding the survey after past issues with data collection frequency
Print
Content Source:
National Center for Health Statistics