Last month, 393 skilled nursing centers and three assisted living facilities in Florida were recognized as part of the American Health Care Association/National Center for Assisted Living (AHCA/NCAL) Quality Initiative Recognition Program. Launched in early 2012, the Quality Initiative is a three-year effort that builds upon the existing work of the long term and post-acute care field by setting specific, measurable targets to further improve the quality of care in America’s skilled nursing care centers. The Recognition Program is designed to acknowledge nursing centers that demonstrate attaining one or more of the four AHCA Quality Initiative goals: safely reduce hospital readmissions by 15%; increase staff stability by 15%; increase customer satisfaction to 90%; and safely reduce the off-label use of antipsychotics by 15%. NCAL has similar Quality Initiative goals, with the exception area being staff stability and a focus toward maintaining nursing staff turnover at a level below 30%. The recognition of achievers is a tiered-approach in which member centers work to increase their recognition as they accomplish multiple goals. For Florida centers, the breakdown for 2014 included 12 centers achieving Tier IV status (achieved four goals); 39 centers achieving Tier III; 138 centers achieving Tier II; and 209 centers achieving Tier I. Determining which member centers qualified for the Recognition Program required that the American Health Care Association analyze members’ Minimum Data Set (MDS) data on hospital readmissions and antipsychotics. Also, member centers were required to submit to AHCA staff turnover data for 2012 and 2013, as well as a survey reporting customer satisfaction data for 2013. Florida Centers – Tier IV Quality Initiative Achievers
- Heritage Park Health and Rehabilitation Center, Dade City
- Royal Manor, Royal Palm Beach
- Margate Health Care Center, Margate
- Flagler Health and Rehabilitation Center, Bunnell
- Palm Garden of Ocala, Ocala
- Riverchase Care Center, Quincy
- PruittHealth – Santa Rosa, Milton
- Boynton Health Care Center, Boynton Beach
- Villa Maria Nursing Center, North Miami
- Village on the Isle-Luke Haven, Venice
- St. Johns Nursing Center, Lauderdale Lakes
- Rosewood Healthcare and Rehabilitation Center, Pensacola
For more information about the AHCA Quality Initiative and to view a complete list of Florida centers achieving recognition for each of the four tiers, go to www.fhca.org and visit the Awards & Recognition section under the Quality Improvement tab.
