Nursing Home Ratings
2006
Many people are faced with the situation of placing a loved one in a nursing home, either for long-term placement or short-term rehabilitation. Oftentimes, this follows a period of time where one or more family members has been providing 24 hour care to the ill person for weeks, months or even years. It is a very stressful time.
The Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS) has created a website, www.dhs.state.mn.us/agingint/nhdb, containing useful information to assist the public in picking out a nursing home. At the site, nursing homes within a certain distance can be identified (there are five nursing homes in Blue Earth County). Also, there is much information about each nursing home, for example, the number of beds; whether the beds are Medicare and Medicaid certified; the ratio of staff to residents; and the number and severity of citations against the nursing home by the Minnesota Department of Health.
I have looked at this website and have a few observations. First, it is not exactly consumer friendly. For example, one has to go through numerous screens, and have some idea of what to look for, to get information about citations against the nursing home. Also, all nursing homes around Mankato have between three and four patients to staff ratio. Does it make a big difference if the ratio is 3.25 to 1 or 3.50 to 1? If it does, DHS should tell us. My hope is that the website will improve in conveying meaningful information.
Second, one has to take the information provided with a grain of salt. For example, there may be six citations against nursing home A, and no citations against nursing home B. One may conclude that nursing home B is “better.” But this isn’t always the case. As in any rating system, a nursing home can look bad because it takes patients with difficult conditions. On the other hand, a nursing home can look good, if it avoids taking the difficult patients. Personal observations, references from friends and relatives, etc. are still needed to get the best picture of the overall quality of nursing homes.
Third, I think the new disclosure system is a good thing. Nursing homes will be more apt to comply with regulations when they know the results will be published and that the general public will be looking at them.
In my line of work, I get to visit numerous nursing homes. My observation is that the nursing homes in and around Mankato are of high quality. I think the website started by the Department of Human Services will give some helpful information to consumers and help to keep the quality of these nursing homes high.