Federal nursing home information site to include identification of worst performing facilities
The federal government has now made it easier for families to identify some of the worst nursing homes in American while they are researching which facility should be trusted to care for their loved one. Last year, the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) compiled a list of the worst performing nursing homes in the United States, based on inspection results. This nursing home information will now be integrated into a searchable database on a federal website.
As of 2006, approximately 1.4 million Americans resided in a nursing home. However, with aging baby boomers, studies have estimated that over 2.7 million people in the United States could live in a nursing home by 2040. As more people rely on long term care facilities, it is important that the public be provided with as much information as possible to compare the quality of nursing home care at different homes.
CMS will add information to their web site, Nursing Home Compare, about the identities of the worst 5% to 10% of all nursing homes, known as “Special Focus Facilities”. These are nursing homes which have been publicly identified as facilities which are chronic underperformers during inspections, and who are constantly falling in and out of compliance with federal regulations. Currently about 130 nursing homes out of 16,000 facilities in the United States are designated as Special Focus Facilities, requiring increased oversight and inspection.
A number of other resources are also available on-line to help families searching for information about the quality of nursing home care. The Wall Street Journal recently compiled a list of some of these nursing home websites, including:
- Member of the Family
- Health Grades
- Consumer Reports Nursing Home Guide
- California Nursing Home Site
- Minnesota Nursing Home Site
NURSING HOME LAWYERS
The nursing home lawyers at Saiontz & Kirk, P.A. represent individuals throughout the United States who have been injured as a result of neglect or abuse which occurred at a long term care facility. Unfortunately, many families do little or no research before placing choosing a home for their loved one. In many cases, chronic under-performers during state inspections cut corners in many ways, which increases the risk of a nursing home injury.
If a friend or loved one have suffered injuries caused by nursing home neglect or abuse, determine if they may be entitled to compensation by requesting a free consultation and claim evaluation.
