News & Events

November 12, 2002

Connecticut Launches Nursing Home Quality Initiative New Nursing Home Quality Information

Connecticut is participating in the landmark Nursing Home Quality Initiative, an effort of the Department of Health and Human Services and Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), to improve the quality of care in nursing homes.

ABOUT QUALIDIGM:

Qualidigm®, the Quality Improvement Organization (QIO) in Connecticut, is under contract with CMS to promote this initiative and educate consumers about using this information in conjunction with other resources when choosing a nursing home. Qualidigm has partnered with professional associations, the State survey agency and the Long Term Care Ombudsman program to work together toward improving the quality of nursing home care in Connecticut.

As part of the nationwide launch of the Nursing Home Quality Initiative, data on nursing home quality for nearly all Connecticut nursing homes are now available to the public. The nursing home quality information distributed by Medicare is based on quality measures in the following categories: physical restraints, pressure sores, infections, declines in activities of daily living, delirium, pain and improvement in walking.

According to Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy Thompson, "People covered by Medicare and Medicaid have the power to choose the best care to meet their individual needs, but they have to have more reliable information to choose quality care. Our efforts today will help beneficiaries all across the country to compare the performance of their local nursing homes, and will provide the recognition that high-quality nursing homes deserve."

The quality measures were calculated using information from the Minimum Data Set (MDS). The MDS is a national database created by CMS to collect information on the medical condition, needs and functional level of every resident in a nursing home certified to participate in Medicare and Medicaid. Nursing home staff completes this information as part of a comprehensive assessment of each resident’s functional capabilities and medical needs.

Says Toni Fatone of the Connecticut Association of Health Care acilities, "Delivering quality care is the most important job of Connecticut's nursing homes and we are proud of the level of care we provide throughout the state. The new CMS quality measures will give consumers the tools they need to make important health care decisions for loved ones and to be confident of their choices." Likewise, Margaret Morelli of the Connecticut Association of Not-for-profit Providers For the Aging (CANPFA) said, “CANPFA supports the initiative because it signals a sharpened focus on quality improvement in health care. We hope that people will use the quality information as a starting point for asking questions about a nursing home’s care and services. We are happy to partner in this initiative with Qualidigm, and look forward to enhancing consumer confidence in long-term care.”

Anne Elwell, director of Medicare quality improvement at Qualidigm, adds, “Qualidigm is pleased that this initiative has energized the long-term care community to work together to continue to improve nursing home care in Connecticut. Our role is to provide assistance and resources to nursing homes as they continuously work to improve the quality of care.”

This new Medicare information provides one more factor to consider when choosing a nursing home; other factors such as location, cost, facility survey results and visits to the home should also be considered. The quality information, along with other information about individual nursing homes, is available at Medicare’s consumer web site, www.medicare.gov, or through Medicare’s toll-free help line, 1.800.MEDICARE (1.800.633.4227).

Qualidigm is a contractor with CMS and has been a leader in health care quality improvement initiatives. Over the years, Qualidigm has been successful facilitating improvement in hospitals and physician offices and looks forward to continued success in the nursing home arena. Qualidigm has been a nationally recognized health care QIO for more than two decades. Its guiding vision of “Healthy People, Outstanding Health Care Delivery” has driven its efforts to promote excellence in health care. Qualidigm, located in Middletown, is a private, nonprofit organization governed by a board of directors that includes physicians, nurses and representatives from hospitals, businesses, health care consumer groups and managed care organizations.

For further information, please contact:
Qualidigm
Allyson Schulz

Telephone: 860.632.6361