Should We Beware of These Nursing Homes?

by Jill Gilbert

Comments (4)

An Associated Press article posted today on MSNBC cited an interesting development on the Medicare website—Medicare is “outing” the 54 worst nursing homes in the country, an unprecedented move for the large government-funded agency. The Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) reviews all Medicare-certified skilled nursing facilities. In the past, it seemed as if major repercussions were never applied to sub-par facilities or those in need of improvements.

Medicare, it appears, is changing. And the result should benefit consumers. Individuals looking into nursing care are often unaware of potential homes to avoid. However, this is no longer true thanks to a group of lawmakers led by the bi-partisan team of Wisconsin Senator Herb Kohl, chairman of the Senate Special Committee on Aging and the Iowa Senator Charles Grassley. These lawmakers convinced the Bush administration to publish the list of the 54 Worst Nursing Homes. As I read this article I found it so refreshing that the senator’s goal is not to be “punitive” but to increase every facility’s quality of care. This same idea of “raising the bar” in a crucial industry was one of the very reasons I started Gilbert Guide; consumers deserve access to this type of information so they can make the most informed decisions for themselves or their loved ones.

Back to Work...Jill

Posted in: Elder Care, Senior Care News

Comments (4)

COMMENTS
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Ami Says:

Might want to ax Ashton Hall Nursing and Rehab, Philadelphia from your database…
Jill Gilbert Says:

Thanks for pointing that out, Ami. Gilbert Guide initially visited Ashton Hall Nursing and Rehab a year ago at which point the number of deficiencies was nine, which is one more deficiency than the national average. Ashton Hall Nursing and Rehab now has 19 deficiencies. We have removed the facility from our listings.

Additionally, I would also like say that the original intent of the 54 Worst Nursing Homes List was to point out facilities that did not meet standards for three of their annual inspections. This list is an important step into changing how consumers are able to look into how a facility is run, but this list inherently has some problems. A year can make a huge difference in a facility’s standing; Medicare publishes deficiency information, but nothing regarding fines, citations and complaints. Most states have nursing home advocacy groups that lead the charge to have Medicare release more information to the public. Our local California Advocates for Nursing Home Reform’s spokesmen Mike Connors has been vocal in his views on the list. In a Press Enterprise interview, he states that the list is “horribly misleading and inadequate,” as “Are consumers to believe there is only one nursing home in all of California they should avoid due to bad care?” This is an important point also. Unfortunately the system at many critical points is flawed. More information, funding and attention needs to be placed on nursing homes in order to reform them.

Ashton Hall Nursing and Rehab is a good example of the importance of consumer awareness along with the need for outside agencies to randomly inspect facilities above and beyond what Medicare does annually. For now, all three components can work in tandem to bring about positive changes in the industry. Consumer knowledge is one of the founding principles of Gilbert Guide; we point out facilities and inspect them, but we also work to teach consumers to find the service or facility that fits his or her needs and preferences. We also disclose exactly how we measure quality of care so that consumers can use similar standards when touring facilities. Unfortunately, facilities and services can change for the worse over time—and this change can be slow or nuanced. For example management or staffing numbers can be altered slightly but result in drastic changes to quality of care. This is why educated consumers are such an important component. It really is too bad that government agencies can only make baby steps toward a brighter future when almost all of us know that a large leap is what we need.
JamesQuinn Says:

I noticed someone asked something kind of important about your lists and when you are going to update them but that comments gone now. I’ve actually been wondering the same thing myself so I was looking forward to your response. Is there an awnser?
Jill Gilbert Says:

James,

It is editorial policy to delete comments that are misleading or contain unfounded accusations. In fact, territory updates are being done continually, and are posted on a weekly basis. Reviewing Medicare deficiencies is a factor that we always consider in making skilled nursing reviews, but there are many other important criteria as well. In addition, we review citations published by the individual states, and, in the past, we have pulled listings based on that information. As always, Gilbert Guide is a consumer advocate.

But back to my original point, consumer comments such as Ami’s (above) are always essential to the mix. The input and feedback we receive from individuals and families is invaluable because it helps us understand the big picture.

Thanks for your comment!