The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) recently made changes to its Nursing Home Compare Five-Star Quality Ratings, which will improve the rating system that is used across the U.S.
The new quality measures will now be part of every star rating that happens in the U.S.; it changes how the overall score is calculated. With this new rating system, families will have all the information they need to make decisions about their loved ones’ care.
New standards include emergency visits, discharges and re-hospitalizations. They also work in coordination with other measures that were implemented for U.S. nursing homes earlier this year.
The organization’s public information website also offers information about how Medicaid and Medicare certified nursing homes will care for their residents.
“When residents and their families are faced with important decisions about care, they need an easy, transparent way to figure out which facility is the best fit for them or their loved ones,” CMS Chief Medical Officer Dr. Patrick Conway said. “With this update, star ratings will provide an even more accurate reflection of the services that nursing homes provide.”
The CMS is dedicated to guaranteeing that families, residents and caregivers receive the best information for their decisions.
