The National Quality Forum has endorsed 21 measures to be used in caring for long-term residents and short-term patients at nursing homes.
These measures will be used in the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services’ Nursing Home Compare, an online database used by consumers to compare more than 17,000 nursing homes nationwide.
The new measures assess patient outcomes and experience of care, addressing such issues as falls, infections, pressure ulcers and general health.
“These measures will help consumers better understand and compare quality of care when selecting nursing homes and will help them to monitor care once they or a family member is in a nursing home,” said David Gifford, MD, MPH, director of the Rhode Island Department of Health and co-chairman of the NQF’s Steering Committee on Nursing Homes, in a statement.
These new 21 measures replace the 17 measures the NQF had endorsed in 2004.
Organizations wishing to request a reconsideration of the 21 measures must do so in writing by April 1. Go to the NQF’s Nursing Homes project page for an appeals form.
See the next page for a list of the endorsed measures.
- Physical therapy or nursing rehabilitation/restorative care for long-stay patients with new balance problem (RAND).
- Percent of residents experiencing one or more falls with major injury (long stay) (CMS).
- Percentage of residents on a scheduled pain medication regimen on admission who report a decrease in pain intensity or frequency (short stay) (CMS).
- Percent of residents who self-report moderate to severe pain (short stay) (CMS).
- Percent of residents who self-report moderate to severe pain (long stay) (CMS).
- Percent of residents with pressure ulcers that are new or worsened (short stay) (CMS).
- Percent of high-risk residents with pressure ulcers (long stay) (CMS).
- Percent of residents assessed and appropriately given the seasonal influenza vaccine during the flu season (short stay) (CMS).
- Percent of residents assessed and appropriately given the seasonal influenza vaccine (long stay) (CMS).
- Percent of residents assessed and appropriately given the pneumococcal vaccine (short stay) (CMS).
- Percent of residents assessed and appropriately given the pneumococcal vaccine (long stay) (CMS).
- Percent of residents with a urinary tract infection (long stay) (CMS).
- Percent of low-risk residents who lose control of their bowels or bladder (long stay) (CMS).
- Percent of residents who have/had a catheter inserted and left in their bladder (long stay) (CMS).
- Percent of residents who were physically restrained (long stay) (CMS).
- Percent of residents whose need for help with activities of daily living has increased (long stay) (CMS).
- Percent of residents who lose too much weight (long stay) (CMS).
- Percent of residents who have depressive symptoms (long stay) (CMS).
- Consumer Assessment of Health Providers and Systems (CAHPS) Nursing Home Survey: Discharged Resident Instrument (ARHQ).
- Consumer Assessment of Health Providers and Systems (CAHPS) Nursing Home Survey: Long-Stay Resident Instrument (ARHQ).
- Consumer Assessment of Health Providers and Systems (CAHPS) Nursing Home Survey: Family Member Instrument (ARHQ).