News & Events

May 13, 2004

Nursing Homes in Connecticut Continue Improvements Under National Nursing Home Quality Initiative

Middletown, CT, May 13, 2004 - As part of National Nursing Home Week (May 9 through May 15), Qualidigm is highlighting the progress of many Connecticut nursing homes towards improving quality of care through the national Nursing Home Quality Initiative (NHQI).

The quality initiative was launched in 2002 by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), an agency of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, to improve the quality of nursing home care across the nation. The initiative is part of a national Quality Initiative that also focuses on improving the quality of care in home health agencies and hospitals.

Thirty-one of Connecticut’s 254 nursing homes have volunteered to participate with Qualidigm in an intensive workgroup to pursue quality improvement efforts through onsite technical assistance and education.

In Connecticut’s nursing homes, there have been improvements in care in several areas, including pain management and decreasing the use of physical restraints. A physicial restraint is any object or device that is used to limit one’s ability to move about freely.

From the period of April 2002 to September 2003, the percent of Connecticut nursing home residents with chronic pain dropped statewide by 3.67 percent, from 8.54 percent to 4.87 percent. In the same time period, the percent of Connecticut residents with chronic pain residing at the 31 intensive workgroup nursing homes receiving onsite assistance from Qualidigm dropped 4.41 percent, from 8.82 percent to 4.41 percent.

A comparison of Connecticut nursing home rates shows that Connecticut nursing homes are doing better than the national average with regards to pain management. The percent of nursing home residents with chronic pain dropped nationally by 3.45 percent, from 10.67 percent to 7.22 percent for the same period of April 2002 to September 2003.

Connecticut nursing homes have also improved in reducing the use of restraints. From the period of April 2002 to September 2003, the percent of Connecticut nursing home residents using restraints dropped statewide by 3.34 percent, compared to the national average, which dropped by 1.72 percent.

The intensive workgroup nursing homes in Connecticut improved the greatest, reducing their use of restraints by 4.46 percent, from 13.61 percent to 9.15 percent, from April 2002 to September 2003.

"Qualidigm applauds the intensive group of Connecticut’s nursing homes for their efforts to improve care, and we are working with them to help spread their knowledge to the other nursing homes in Connecticut. We are pleased with the current progress in improving the overall quality of care nursing homes provide their residents," said Kathy Tuozzo, RN, Inpatient Project Manager, Qualidigm.

The national quality initiative is an important step in CMS’ comprehensive quality strategy, which consists of four elements:
· Regulation and enforcement activities conducted by State Survey Agencies and CMS;
· Improved consumer information on the quality of care provided;
· Continual, community-based quality improvement programs for nursing homes; and
· Collaboration and partnerships to leverage knowledge and resources.

National Nursing Home Week, which was established by the American Health Care Association, helps focus national attention on the importance of quality of care in nursing homes.

Seniors and their caregivers can find valuable information about nursing homes by visiting www.medicare.gov and clicking on Nursing Home Compare. The site also provides tips for making informed decisions about health care. Seniors and caregivers without Internet access may call 1.800.MEDICARE (1.800.633.4227) for assistance.

Qualidigm, Connecticut’s Medicare quality improvement organization, is under contract with CMS to improve the quality of health care for people with Medicare.

ABOUT QUALIDIGM:

Qualidigm® is a nationally recognized industry leader in measuring and improving the quality of health care. A private, nonprofit quality improvement organization, Qualidigm participates in numerous national and local initiatives, some of which include patient safety, public reporting, and applied research into the delivery of quality health services. Qualidigm partners with health care providers and public and private sector groups to make this vision a reality.

For further information, please contact:
Qualidigm
Allyson Schulz

Telephone: 860.632.6361