Nursing homes subject to federal grading

DOWNEY - Beginning Jan. 1, local nursing homes will be subject to a grading system intended to "allow the consumer to make an informed decision about care."Nursing homes will be graded according to quality of medical care, staffing levels, food services, sanitation, bedsore mitigation and the results of licensing inspections. The highest-rated facilities will receive five stars, while the low-performing nursing homes will receive just one star. All nursing homes will be required to publicly post their grades, similar to restaurants. "To enhance the quality of care for our senior citizens, the state law I initiated requiring nursing homes to publicly display their federal five-star rating follows the success of our restaurant grading system," said L.A. County supervisor Michael Antonovich, who also authored the county's restaurant grading system in 1997. "This posting system provides vital information for families to make informed decisions about the care for their loved ones and provides incentives for facility operators to establish and maintain high-quality standards of care and compliance."

********** Published: December 30, 2010 - Volume 9 - Issue 37