Good care is not a luxury – it is a mindset.

Nursing homes are often evaluated based on what’s easy to measure: fall rates, care minutes, documentation. But what do these numbers really say about residents’ lived experiences or the atmosphere within the team?

François Muller, CEO of Leading Nursing Homes (LNH), explains in this interview why care quality is too narrowly defined today – and how LNH aims to set new standards.

François Muller, Founder and CEO of LNH, is an experienced and visionary consultant with a strong track record in strategy development, process optimization, and health policy advising for a wide range of institutions in the Swiss and international healthcare sectors. He founded and leads the Zurich-based boutique consultancy Muller Healthcare Consulting. The idea for LNH was born out of the insights and experiences gained through this work. As a Luxembourgish citizen based in Switzerland, he also serves as Honorary Consul of Luxembourg.

Mr. Muller, many say that quality in care is difficult to measure – and even harder to compare. Why do we still need a label like LNH?

Because quality can be measured – if you know what to look for.

It’s not enough to focus solely on fall rates or medication errors, as such indicators are highly context-dependent. With LNH, we spent over a year working to define what truly constitutes high-quality long-term care. We brought together leading experts from a wide range of fields. The result: a comprehensive set of 100 criteria – ranging from pressure ulcer prevention and the smell in care units to the diversity of professional backgrounds in a nursing home’s leadership team.

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What prompted the founding of LNH – and what do you believe is currently going wrong in how nursing homes are assessed?

What’s missing is an objective and holistic assessment that considers all dimensions of quality.

The initial spark was a personal one: a friend asked me which nursing home would be best for his mother – and despite working closely with long-term care facilities, I couldn’t give him a well-founded answer. At the same time, several institutions we collaborate with were having similar thoughts.

What’s missing is an objective and holistic assessment that considers all dimensions of quality. For one person, quality might mean good food, for another an inspiring activity program or excellent nursing care. Existing evaluations are often too one-sided and overly focused on documentation. That’s precisely where LNH comes in: we look not only at processes, but at what truly reaches people.

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LNH also considers aspects like social participation, hospitality, and the lived experience of residents. Critics might say this sounds like luxury care. How do you respond to that?

 It has less to do with expensive investments and more to do with passion, innovation, and a genuine commitment to residents and their families

High-quality care is not a luxury – it is a mindset. Quality emerges where strong leadership enables staff to thrive. It has less to do with expensive investments and more to do with passion, innovation, and a genuine commitment to residents and their families. If a care home promotes social participation, creates a pleasant environment, and provides professional care – that’s not luxury care. That’s simply good care.

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You often mention that nursing homes are also employer brands. What role do leadership and staff retention play in delivering good care?

There is a direct link between the quality of care and employee satisfaction.

A crucial one. There is a direct link between the quality of care and employee satisfaction. Of course, salary and benefits matter, but even more important is the sense of being able to do meaningful work. When leadership ensures the right conditions are in place, it creates an environment where staff are motivated and committed. And that’s exactly what impacts care quality. LNH aims to actively support this positive cycle.

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Several Swiss cantons are currently discussing nursing home planning and approval procedures for nursing homes. Could LNH become a governance tool in this context – or is that too ambitious?

It’s both realistic and necessary.

Not at all. In fact, it’s both realistic and necessary. We’re already in close dialogue with several cantons. I’m convinced that LNH could serve as a seal of quality in the future, such as for granting or renewing operating licenses. We need transparent, consistent, and fair standards – and that’s exactly what LNH offers.

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What’s your vision: What should a good nursing home look like 10 years from now – and what role can LNH play in that future?

LNH aims to play an active role as a community of excellence [...].

Perhaps in 10 years we won’t even speak of “nursing homes” anymore, but of intelligent support networks that provide individualized guidance for older people – combining human connection with technological support. On that path, LNH aims to play an active role as a community of excellence that connects leading institutions and promotes the exchange of knowledge and best practices. Because quality is not a fixed state – it’s a continuous learning process.