By Maria Miranda -
Lauderdale Lakes (December 17, 2014) The American Health Care Association (AHCA) has once again given recognition to Catholic Health Services Skilled Nursing Homes for achieving goals as part of the AHCA 2014 Quality Initiative Recognition Program. Villa Maria Nursing Center, in North Miami and St. John’s Nursing Center, in Lauderdale Lakes both achieved Tier 4 performance and St. Anne’s Nursing Center and Villa Maria West Nursing Center were recognized as Tier 3 Achiever.
The AHCA Quality Initiative is an effort that builds upon the existing work of the long term and post-acute care field by setting specific, measurable targets to further improve quality of care in America’s skilled nursing centers and assisted living communities. To achieve recognition, AHCA Members are encouraged to reach defined, concrete goals over a three year program, in four core areas:
- Safely Reduce Hospital Readmissions by 15% or have a rate that is equal to or lower than the national rate for the top 25% of centers on this measure.
- Increase Staff Stability by 15% or have a turnover rate that is equal to or lower than national rate for the top 25% of centers on this measure.
- Achieve Customer Satisfaction of 90% for short-stay patients, long-stay residents, and/or family members that complete a customer satisfaction survey.
- Safely Reduce the Off-Label Use of Antipsychotics by 15% or have a rate that is equal to or lower than the national rate of the top 25% of centers on this measure.
“Last year, Villa Maria Nursing Center was the sole nursing home in the state to achieve all four tiers. This year, St John’s Nursing Center joins Villa Maria in achieving four tiers along with ten other Florida nursing homes. This is a notable accomplishment as nationwide only 153 skilled nursing centers achieved four tiers in 2014,” stated Carol Ann Preston, Catholic Health services director of quality control. “Additionally, St Anne’s Nursing Center and Villa Maria West Nursing Center achieved three tier recognitions with just 40 other Florida nursing centers - great work!”
AHCA is a non-profit federation of affiliate state health organizations, together representing more than 11,000 non-profit and for-profit nursing facility, assisted living, developmentally-disabled, and sub-acute care providers that care for approximately one million elderly and disabled individuals each day.
Media Contact: Maria A. Miranda, VP Public Relations, CHS. 954-484-1515, ext. 5224
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