Advancing Excellence in America’s Nursing Homes
A Message to all Nursing Homes from the Chair of the Advancing Excellence in America’s Nursing Homes Campaign:
The three-year-old Advancing Excellence in America’s Nursing Homes Campaign is moving to a new phase this month with the launching of a new and revised goals and an improved website www.nhqualitycampaign.org to provide nursing home leaders like you with new resources and other materials to help advance your quality improvement activities. Because we’re starting a new phase, nursing homes that have been with the Campaign since the beginning will need to re-enroll by updating your facility profile, deciding if you want to choose new goals or stay with those you currently have and set targets. Nursing homes that re-enroll by January 31, 2010 will receive a special recognition and designation as an Advancing Excellence Charter Member, a badge of honor to show that you’ve been with the Campaign since the beginning and are continuing your commitment to quality improvement. We, of course, are also looking to sign up new members of the campaign. Experience has shown the value of the campaign to providers. We hope other nursing homes will join now and become part of a growing movement to identify and work on quality goals to keep your residents healthier and more satisfied. .
Why join? Nearly half of the nation’s nursing homes joined the Campaign during its first phase and the results have been very promising. Campaign participants that chose to focus on reducing use of physical restraints, reducing the prevalence of pressure ulcers, and controlling symptoms of pain, improved at a significantly faster rate than other nursing homes. There are tangible benefits for homes as well: improving staff retention and maintaining staff stability saves money, improves efficiency as well as outcomes and contributes to better relationships between residents and their caregivers.
On January 1, 2010, we start a new phase of the Campaign. We added two new goals for you to select, Advance Care Planning and Measuring Staff Satisfaction, and have revised several of the existing goals, to make it easier for you to measure and track your progress. We also have updated the website’s many resources, including a new best practice - CNA Fact Sheets - to help nursing homes more effectively engage certified nursing assistants in quality improvement activities. More hands-on tools will shortly be added.
Both new and existing participants will benefit from being part of the “new” Advancing Excellence Campaign, which neither duplicates nor conflicts with existing QI requirements or other QI initiatives. Please go to our improved website www.nhqualitycampaign.org and explore what the Campaign has to offer. We hope you decide to join the Advancing Excellence Campaign. We look forward to working with you on achieving these important quality goals. If you have any questions, please contact quality@aahsa.org.
Mary Jane Koren, MD. MPH
Chair, Advancing Excellence Campaign
The Texas Nursing Home Quality Initiative Coalition is excited about its sponsorship role as a Local Area Network of Excellence (LANE) in support of the "Advancing Excellence in America's Nursing Homes quality campaign."
As America's population ages and the first of the "baby boomers" turn 60 years old, nursing homes and stakeholders are coming together to improve the quality of care and quality of life for those living or recuperating in America's nursing homes. "Advancing Excellence in America's Nursing Homes" is a two year, coalition-based campaign concerned with how we care for elderly and disabled citizens. The voluntary campaign, which will monitor key indicators of nursing home care quality, promotes excellence in caregiving for nursing home residents and acknowledges the critical role of nursing home staff in promoting that care.
The major measurable goal areas for nursing home quality improvement within the campaign include:
- Reducing high risk pressure ulcers
- Reducing the use of daily physical restraints
- Improving pain management for longer term nursing home residents
- Improving pain management for short stay, post-acute nursing home residents
- Establishing individual targets for improving quality
- Assessing resident and family satisfaction with quality of care
- Increasing staff retention
- Improving consistent assignment of nursing home staff, so that residents regularly receive care from the same care givers
Nursing homes participating in the campaign will work on at least three of the eight goals and can assess technical assistance and guidance from quality experts in reaching their targeted goals.
Consumers participating in the campaign will help to create greater awareness of quality care and the resources available now, and encourage providers to improve the care they deliver. They will also work to increase public awareness regarding the success of these quality improvement efforts.
To learn more about the campaign or to register as a participant, visit the campaign Web site at www.nhqualitycampaign.org.
Advancing Excellence Recorded Events
The Power of Documentation for Pressure Ulcers
Part of the Advancing Excellence series. Recorded August 21, 2008.
The Power of Pressure Ulcer Treatment
Part of the Advancing Excellence series. Recorded July 24, 2008.
The Power of Pressure Ulcer Assessment
Part of the Advancing Excellence series. Recorded June 26, 2008.
The Power of Pressure Ulcer Prevention
Part of the Advancing Excellence series. Recorded May 22, 2008.
Satisfaction Surveys
Part of the Advancing Excellence series. Recorded April 30, 2008.
What If We Treated Employees Like We Treat Residents?
Part of the Advancing Excellence series. Recorded March 27, 2008.
The “Why’s” and “How’s” - Satisfaction Surveys
Part of the Advancing Excellence series recorded on February 28, 2008.
Advancing Excellence in America's Nursing Homes
This presentation outlines a national project to improve quality of life for residents and staff in nursing homes. It was recorded February 7th, 2008.
Advancing Excellence Article
From the Consultant: What’s new in Advancing Excellence?