Advertisement
"The nursing home data analyzed by the New York Times, and noted in thereporting itself, examines a very narrow segment of the nation's long termcare ownership category, and is far from representative of the total long termcare quality picture in America's nursing homes - which is improving overall.As the article itself notes, the Times analysis concerns less than 10% of allnursing homes in America, and many of the problems noted involved only 5% ofall homes.
Advertisement
The news article does, however, raise important issues about the need tosustain for the long term the many successful government and profession-widequality improvement initiatives now underway -- and our profession willcontinue to advocate the vital need to assess patient outcome data and patientand family satisfaction surveys, which are highly relevant to the overallquality equation. Further, we concur with the Government Accountability Office(GAO), the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and other independentsources finding that while there have been specific, measurable qualityimprovements in several important clinical areas, there is still far more todo.
The very data analyzed by the New York Times is representative of the longterm care profession's demonstrated commitment to public data disclosure, andmaking more information available for consumers to consider and evaluate as ameans of assessing facility quality. This is correctly bringing about moreaccountability, and spurring increased competition among facilities. This isbeneficial to every consumer, the regulatory authorities, federal and statelawmakers, and providers themselves. Our profession has demonstrated theleadership expected and required, and will continue to do so.
The many innovations and improvements in healthcare witnessed in just thepast decade have been extraordinary. We are excited about the pace of changein our rapidly-evolving health care sector, cognizant of our responsibility tocontinue being a catalyst for responsible innovation, and committed tocontinue improving the quality of long term care for the benefit of everyAmerican retiree today, and in the years and decades ahead."
The Alliance for Quality Nursing Home Care (www.aqnhc.org) is a coalitionof 16 of the nation's largest skilled nursing providers who deliver care tohundreds of thousands of patients on a daily basis.
SOURCE Alliance for Quality Nursing Home Care