Federal Nursing Home Quality Initiative
Consumers in Maine have the benefit of new programs under way to improve the quality of homes and services for the aging. The federal government's Nursing Home Quality Initiative, was launched nationally on November 12, 2002, signals a new emphasis by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) on quality improvement in nursing home care.
Maine Veterans' Homes supports this initiative. We support disclosure of information to consumers that will help them make informed decisions and welcome CMS' development of a technical assistance program to help nursing homes expand their quality improvement strategies.
Maine Veterans' Homes encourages consumers to view the published measures and ratings as one method of determining a nursing facility's quality of care. Consumers should visit area homes, view interactions between staff and residents, and consider the home environment when selecting a nursing home. Ratings of nursing homes are not yet the perfect tool by which to judge nursing home quality. Information about nursing home residents is complex. However, CMS is continuing to work on improvements and refinements to the Nursing Home Quality Initiative data about nursing homes.
Maine Veterans' Homes are members of both the Northern New England Association of Home and Services for the Aging (NNEAHSA) and the Maine Health Care Association, representing long-term care facilities in Maine. Two members of our Maine Veterans' Homes staff, through NNEAHSA, have been named to an Advisory Council for Nursing Home Quality being coordinated by the Northeast Health-Care Quality Foundation (NEH-CQF) of Dover, New Hampshire. This Foundation has been designated by CMS to work closely with, and provide technical assistance to nursing homes in northern New England in support of the quality initiative.
For more information on the Quality Measures you may contact the Corporate Compliance Officer at Maine Veterans Homes directly at 1-800-278-9494 or search on-line at: http://www.medicare.gov/NHCompare/home.asp
