TIP OF THE WEEK
Using Family Satisfaction Surveys
Quality of care in nursing homes is a priority not only for those who are responsible for the overall management of a facility, but it is also a means for evaluating a nursing home when a family member needs specialized care. Families often look for information and clues that indicate that the facility provides high quality care. Family satisfaction surveys are an excellent source for obtaining this information. Families want to be assured their loved ones are in a residence where care of the residents and individualized needs are taken into consideration.
Family satisfaction surveys aid in identifying where residents and family members are well satisfied and where improvements may be made. Priorities for improving care at the nursing home may be established based on the survey results. Satisfaction surveys should not be viewed as a means to point out negatives. They are a “report card” that identifies the strengths and weaknesses of a facility. In areas where there is high competition, they are excellent tools to promote a facility.
Since family satisfaction surveys are usually conducted on an annual basis, you may want to periodically check in with your residents to find out how you’re doing. You’ll be glad you did!
For more information on family survey results for individual nursing homes, see the State of Ohio Long-term Care Consumer Guide found at http://www.ltcohio.org/consumer/index.asp.
RESOURCE SPOTLIGHT
Ohio Long-Term Care Consumer Guide
The Ohio Long-Term Care Consumer Guide provides information about nursing homes and assisted living facilities to help consumers, family members, and professionals search for the appropriate facility to meet an individual’s needs. This tool provides detailed information about facilities in Ohio, including results of Ohio Department of Aging’s 2006 family satisfaction surveys, most recent annual survey, and quality measure scores.
IN THE NEWS
CMS ANNOUNCES THE START OF PARTICIPANT RECRUITMENT FOR POST ACUTE CARE PAYMENT REFORM DEMONSTRATION
August 21, 2007 -- CMS -- The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is now recruiting acute care hospitals, long-term care hospitals, inpatient rehabilitation facilities, skilled nursing facilities, and home health agencies to participate in a project designed to generate recommendations for improving CMS payment models based on data collected in the demonstration. This demonstration will give CMS and Medicare-participating providers better information on the case-mix severity of Medicare beneficiaries using their services. The information will be critical in creating recommendations for refining CMS approaches to measuring case mix intensity in PAC populations. Read more >>
MANY FAMILIES HAPPY WITH DEMENTIA CARE AT HOSPICES
August 24, 2007 -- Reuters Health -- Most families of dementia patients who receive end-of-life care at a hospice are satisfied with the experience, a new study suggests. Using survey data from 796 U.S. hospices, researchers found that families of dementia patients were as likely as cancer patients' families to be happy with the care their loved ones received. In both cases, roughly three quarters of families rated the care as "excellent." Read more >>
MEDICARE INCREASES COVERAGE OF PREVENTIVE SERVICES, PROMOTES SCREENINGS AMONG BENEFICIARIES
August 28, 2007 -- Kaiser Network -- Fewer than 10 percent of Medicare beneficiaries receive recommended health screening and immunizations, even as Medicare increasingly is covering preventive services, according to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), the Wall Street Journal reports. About five percent of Medicare spending is on preventive services, but CMS in recent years has authorized more spending on screenings and immunizations amid mounting evidence about the cost effectiveness of prevention, officials say. Read more >>
NURSES EXPRESS CONCERN ABOUT TECHNOLOGY'S EFFECTS ON PATIENT CARE
August 27, 2007 -- Kaiser Network -- As hospitals increasingly implement healthcare information technology, many nurses say they are "overwhelmed with documentation" that requires them to spend more time on computers and less time with patients, the Baltimore Sun reports.
Read more >>
OHIO KEPRO EVENTS
NURSING HOME QUALITY AFFAIR
Northeast Conference Center, Westerville, Ohio
September 11, 2007 – 9:30 to 3:30
At this meeting, we will spotlight nursing homes that achieved remarkable rates of improvement and overall performance in the areas of pain, pressure ulcers, depression, and/or the use of physical restraints.
This event is an opportunity for your nursing home to renew its quality improvement efforts by learning “what works” and discussing successful strategies at a forum of your peers.
Who should attend: Administrators/CEOs, Directors of Nursing, Direct Care Staff, Social Workers, Activities Professionals.
Download the flyer and register today!
INDUSTRY EVENTS
Ohio Immunization Partners for Healthy Adults Meeting
September 6, 2007 at 11:00 a.m.
LifeCare Alliance, 1699 W. Mound Street, Columbus, Ohio, 43223
Or dial 1.877.339.0018, conf ID: *8625947*
RSVP by calling Liz Simpson at 216.447.9604 by August 31, 2007
Together We Make a Difference: Solutions for Senior Care 2007
October 5-7, 2007, Columbus Ohio
The conference features plenary sessions and didactic sessions on medical direction, physician-nurse practitioner collaboration, urinary incontinence, atrial fibrillation, appropriate medication prescribing, and the latest diabetic medications (Registration ends Sept 28, 2007). Contact Catherine Austin at (216) 778-8087, Executive Assistant of OMDA, for more details.
Medicare Learning Network:
Learning resources and products for the healthcare professional.
Alzheimer’s Association Training Events
Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine Courses
Ohio Department of Health, Technical Assistance Program – New Programs
Ohio Health Care Association Events
An archive of The Nursing Home Weekly Update is available on our Web site. Click here >>
