MASS NURSING HOME SURVEY RESULTS ONLINE

We have learned through The Boston Globe that the DPH Division of Health Care Quality has given public access to summary information for nursing facilities’ scores on state surveys.

The following are two ways to get this information:
From the web site http://www.state.ma.us/dph/ or call 800-493-8333.

The information provided at the site, the "Survey Performance Tool for Nursing Homes," was created to simplify the information contained in the state surveys for public use. It translates the scores on 44 of the 546-item survey checklist into pass-fail. Then adds the scores for the two most recent surveys for a maximum score of 88. According to The Globe the average score among Massachusetts nursing homes is 85 and that "a score of 81 is in the bottom 19 percent of all nursing homes." So it is difficult to interpret what a less than perfect score really means. In addition, although the site gives you the general category where a facility was cited, it does not give the exact criteria, which makes it harder to address specific concerns when visiting a facility. Despite these weaknesses, this may be a good starting place for patients/families interested in limiting the list of facilities for more in-depth investigation.

The survey tool does not include information on pending complaints against facilities. That information can be obtained through the Division of Health Care Quality’s Public Information Unit. The request must be in writing, but the phone number is (617) 753-8118 (further information available at the web-site). There is a fee for staff time, copying and postage, so it should probably wait until the search is narrowed to a couple of facilities. In our experience it also takes more than a couple of days to get a complete report, so it is mainly useful if the patient/family are thinking ahead rather than looking for immediate placement from the hospital.

Other useful information available at the site includes a list of questions for patients/families to assess during a visit and to ask facility administrators. It also has a resource list that includes listings such as the MA Division of Insurance, the Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Division and Living is for the Elderly, which is a nursing home resident advocacy group.

Other related resources: As was mentioned last month’s newsletter, the CRC has a copy of The Inside Guide To America’s Nursing Homes: Rankings And Ratings For Every Nursing Home In The U.S. This guide includes the specific survey criteria citations, and ranks the facilities based on their scores. Obviously, its limitation is that as time goes on it won’t represent the most recent surveys. The CRC also has pamphlets for patients and families about the process of finding a nursing home and what to expect. Check out the resource wall on FH2 next time you are in the neighborhood.

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