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Internet tool created by Medicare-Medicaid allows comparison of quality of area nursing homes
By MARCIE SCHELLHAMMER
Era Reporter
marcie@bradfordera.com
(Editor’s note: This is the first in a two-part series regarding a Medicare comparison of local nursing homes. This story deals with three homes in the Bradford area, while the second story will deal with homes in Smethport and Kane.)
Comparing the quality of area nursing homes has gotten a whole lot easier with an Internet tool created by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.
At the Web site medicare.gov, an online nursing home comparison can be accessed which allows a consumer to choose the name, city, state, county or ZIP code for a facility, and compare it to others in the same area.
The nursing homes are rated in an overall section, as well as on health inspection results, staffing levels, quality measures and fire safety inspections. The number of certified beds and the type of ownership for the facility — such as for-profit corporation or non-profit church related — are listed as well.
According to the Web site, there are three facilities in the Bradford area — Bradford Ecumenical Home Inc. at 100 St. Francis Drive, with 100 beds; Bradford Manor at 50 Lang Maid Lane with 121 beds; and The Pavilion at Bradford Regional Medical Center at 200 Pleasant St. with 95 beds.
Out of a total of five stars possible for overall quality, the facilities all received four stars.
In the health inspection category, the Ecumenical Home earned three stars. There were seven deficiencies for the home during the investigation period of July 1, 2007 to Sept. 30, 2008; the average for the state is six.
According to the report, inspectors determined the home failed to “write and use policies that forbid mistreatment, neglect and abuse of the residents and theft of residents’ property,” a violation which was corrected by July 30, 2008; and failed to give care or services to maintain the highest quality of life, which was corrected by July 30.
The Bradford Manor earned four stars on health inspection, with one deficiency, which was the prompt delivery of mail to residents. That was corrected by April 30.
The Pavilion earned four stars, and had four violations. Those included failing to immediately tell a resident, doctor and family member a resident is injured, has a change in health, needs treatment altered or must be transferred or discharged; failing to keep safe, clean and homelike surroundings and failing to make sure staff members wash their hands when needed. The inspection date was listed as Sept. 25; there was no date of correction given.
All three homes earned four stars on nursing home staffing. The report lists the total number of licensed nurse staff hours per resident per day as 1 hour, 11 minutes for the Ecumenical Home; 1 hour, 31 minutes for Bradford Manor; and 1 hour, 29 minutes for The Pavilion.
For quality measures, the Ecumenical Home earned four stars, while Bradford Manor earned two and The Pavilion earned three. The statistics given are broken down by long-term and short-term residents.
The percent of long-term residents given flu shots was 99 for both the Ecumenical Home and Pavilion, and 89 percent for the Manor. All Ecumenical Home residents were assessed and given the pneumococcal vaccine, while 99 percent of the residents of The Pavilion were. At the Manor, the percentage was at 92. The percent of long-term residents who get pressure sores was 4 percent at the Ecumenical Home, 5 percent at The Pavilion, and 25 percent at the Manor.
For fire safety, there were six deficiencies at the Ecumenical Home; four at the Manor and eight at The Pavilion. The deficiencies at The Pavilion were the only ones without dates for correction. Those included determinations that the building did not have corridors and hallways that block smoke; proper stairway enclosures and vertical shafts; properly installed hallway dispensers for hand sanitizer; exits that were accessible at all time; emergency lighting that could last at least 1.5 hours; automatic sprinklers maintained in working order; portable fire extinguishers; and properly installed electrical wiring and equipment.
According to the Web site, the information provided there is to offer consumers a “snapshot” of the care individual nursing homes give. Consumers are encouraged to visit the homes under consideration before making a decision.
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