Nursing homes taking steps to improve, USA
"We are pleased by the timing of this HHS OIG report noting our profession's quality improvement efforts because it again focuses attention on the direct correlation between care quality and a stable, consistent funding environment," said Hal Daub, President and CEO of AHCA.
The OIG study, released March 18th and available at http://www.oig.hhs.gov, found changes in staffing, family involvement, and operational adjustments "create better environments for residents." The findings were published in Emerging Practices in Nursing Homes (OEI-01-04-00070).
Among the many positive trends identified by the OIG, the study found that mentoring programs for Certified Nurse Assistants improved staff retention and led to improved quality and continuity of care for residents. The OIG analysis also found that some homes have begun observing and assessing residents who are at high risk for adverse events. Staffs at those homes meet weekly to discuss new intra-facility methods to treat and prevent problems. The review process requires substantial time commitments for collecting and reviewing data, but nursing staffs told the OIG they believe identifying the root causes of and preventing adverse events improves overall resident health.
Daub praised HHS and the Bush Administration, with whom AHCA has been working on the joint federal-provider Nursing Home Quality Initiative (NHQI). Launched in 2002 as a unique, collaborative public-private partnership between the federal government and long term care providers, the NHQI provides consumers with reliable, easy-to-understand comparative information regarding care quality offered by America's nursing homes.
The increased public disclosure of facility-specific quality data spurs competition and improved performance Daub said, and noted the long term care profession was proud to stand with former HHS Secretary Tommy Thompson just three months ago to announce key quality indicators are up nationally, and that facility care is improving in important, fundamental ways.
"We will maintain focus on the need for Congress to roll back the proposed FY 2006 Medicare and Medicaid cuts - reductions that will jeopardize the quality successes residents are benefiting from today," Daub concluded. "Turning back the clock on improved care quality in America's nursing homes is illogical, counterproductive public policy that undermines our nation's long term care infrastructure. We hope to work with HHS Secretary Leavitt and our federal lawmakers to help ensure the stable funding policies we need to sustain quality improvements continue."
To view the report in its entirety, please visit: oig.hhs.gov/oei/reports/oei-01-04-00070.pdf.
The American Health Care Association and the National Center For Assisted Living are the nation's leading long term care organizations. AHCA/NCAL and their membership are committed to performance excellence and Quality First, a covenant for healthy, affordable and ethical long term care. AHCA/NCAL represent more than 10,000 non-profit and proprietary facilities dedicated to continuous improvement in the delivery of professional and compassionate care provided daily by 4 million caring employees to more than 1.5 million of our nation's frail, elderly and disabled citizens who live in nursing facilities, assisted living residences, subacute centers and homes for persons with mental retardation and developmental disabilities. For more information on AHCA/NCAL, please visit http://www.ahca.org
American Health Care Association
1201 L Street, N.W., Washington, DC 20005
phone: (202) 842-4444 fax: (202) 842-3860
http://www.ahca.org
Nursing casele lua mãsuri pentru a îmbunãtãþi, SUA - Nursing homes taking steps to improve, USA - articole medicale engleza - startsanatate