5 Star Ratings for Nursing Homes-10 strategies for Success

Directors of Nurses and Nursing Home Administrators.? Let’s work together to Achieve a 5-star Rating for our facilities. ?I have shared some practical ways to improve your ratings.

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5 STAR FACILITY-How to accomplish it.

The Nursing Home 5-Star Quality Rating System on Nursing Home Compare is a tool developed by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to help consumers, their families, and caregivers compare nursing homes more easily. The ratings are based on three critical aspects:

?Health Inspections: Based on the three most recent health inspections and complaint investigations.

Staffing: Includes the number of hours of care provided on average to each resident each day by nursing staff.

Quality Measures: Based on 16 different physical and clinical measures for nursing home residents.

?To achieve a 5-star rating for your nursing home, it requires excellence in these three areas. Realistically, it can take anywhere from several months to a few years to accomplish this, depending on your starting point and the specific challenges your facility faces.

?Here are 10 actionable bullet items to help you achieve a 5-star rating:

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Conduct Comprehensive Health Inspections:

I recommend you regularly perform internal health inspections and audits to identify and address issues before external inspections and surveyors come in. Use mock surveys to simulate the real inspection experience. Consider the InsPAC virtual nurse program (IVA Nurses) for regular daily audits 24/7.

Improve Staffing Levels:

?I suggest you have adequate staffing levels that meet or exceed CMS requirements. Focus on both quantity and quality, providing ongoing training to improve care.

Enhance Staff Training and Education:

Educate, educate, educate. Implement continuous education programs for all staff members, emphasizing on areas such as infection control, resident rights, dementia care, clinical competencies to name a few.

Implement Robust Quality Assurance Programs:

QAPI drives success. Establish a Quality Assurance and Performance Improvement (QAPI) program to continuously monitor, evaluate, and improve the quality of care and services. Make sure to include members of the interdisciplinary team.

Optimize Care Plans:

Ensure that each resident has a personalized care plan that is regularly reviewed and updated. Involve interdisciplinary teams to address all aspects of a resident's health and well-being.

?Monitor and Improve Quality Measures:

Use the CMS Quality Measures as benchmarks and track your facility's performance. Implement targeted interventions to improve areas where you fall short.

Engage Residents and Families:

Your residents and families are the heart of your business.? Foster an environment where residents and their families feel involved in care decisions. Use satisfaction surveys to gather feedback and make improvements based on their input.

?Enhance Communication:

This tends to be a challenge for most. Develop clear communication channels between staff, residents, and families. Ensure that staff are trained in effective communication techniques, especially in handling complaints and concerns.

?Focus on Preventive Care:

?Implement preventive care strategies to reduce incidents like falls, pressure ulcers, and infections. Regularly review and update protocols to ensure they are based on the latest evidence.

Maintain Compliance with Regulations:

Stay updated on federal and state regulations and ensure that your policies and practices are in full compliance. Conduct regular audits to identify and rectify any compliance issues. Example: The facility assessment was recently updated by CMS.? Have you reviewed and updated your policies, do you have an audit tool in place to assure compliance?? Have you communicated the CMS updates to your team?? Food for thought.

Achieving a 5-star rating is an ongoing process that requires a commitment to excellence and continuous improvement. By focusing on these areas, you can create a high-quality environment that meets the CMS standards and provides exceptional care to your residents.

Great Resources

Nursing Home Compare - Five-Star Quality Rating System:

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). "Nursing Home Compare." Accessed July 3, 2024. CMS Nursing Home Compare.

Technical Users' Guide:

CMS. "Design for Nursing Home Compare Five-Star Quality Rating System: Technical Users’ Guide." Updated April 2023. Technical Users’ Guide.

Quality Assurance Programs:

CMS. "QAPI Resources." Accessed July 3, 2024. CMS QAPI.

Preventive Care Strategies:

CMS. "Infection Control Worksheet." Updated November 2020. Infection Control Worksheet.

Achieving a 5-star rating can take several months to a few years, depending on your starting point. For additional resources and assistance, contact the Institute of Post Acute Care at www.theinspac.com or via email at [email protected] .

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