WEST DES MOINES, IOWA (January 3, 2020) — Approximately 395 Iowa long-term care-providers were recognized by the American Health Care Association and National Center for Assisted Living (AHCA/NCAL) on December 16 for the quality of care they provide.
"Iowa's long-term care-providers are committed to providing quality care for our state's elderly and disabled residents. This achievement represents reaching important quality goals that will positively impact the lives of residents," said Mary Jane Carothers, vice-president of quality improvement and clinical affairs for the Iowa Health Care Association. "To be recognized at the national level is an outstanding achievement. We applaud these organizations for their hard work and dedication to this significant quality improvement effort."
The Iowa care-providers recognized includes 330 skilled nursing centers and 65 assisted living communities. These organizations achieved one or more national goals for quality improvement. This national recognition program has four tiers based on the number of goals achieved from the national goals noted below. Tier 1 achievers reached one goal, Tier 2 reached two goals, Tier 3 reached three goals, and Tier 4 reached four goals.
Goal achieved; Skilled nursing facility (SNF) achievers; Iowa; Nationally; Assisted living program (ALP) achievers; Iowa; Nationally;
4; 66; 624; 1; 11
3; 123; 3,241; 5; 39
2; 105; 3,854; 17; 91
1; 36; 1,787; 42; 251
Skilled nursing centers recognized achieved at least one of the following goals:
- Safely reduce long-stay and short-stay hospitalizations by improving 10% — or maintain a rate of 10% or less;
- Improve functional outcomes (mobility) by 15%;
- Improve long-stay and short-stay satisfaction by 10% — or achieve a rate of 90% or greater; and
- Safely reduce the off-label use of antipsychotics by 10% — or maintain a rate of 8% or less in long-stay residents and maintain a rate of 1% or less in short-stay patients.
Assisted living communities recognized achieved at least one of these goals:
- Direct care staff turnover is 50% or less;
- 90% or more of residents and/or family members are satisfied with their experience;
- Hospital readmissions within 30 days of hospital discharges are 20% or less; and
- Off-label use of antipsychotics is 15% of residents or less.
Launched in 2012 by AHCA/NCAL, this quality initiative program serves as a national effort to build upon the existing work of the long-term and post-acute care profession. A list of Iowa care providers receiving this recognition is attached. These organizations will be recognized at the AHCA/NCAL National Quality Summit in Grapevine, Texas, on March 10, 2020.
About the Iowa Health Care Association
The Iowa Health Care Association (IHCA) and its divisions, Iowa Center for Assisted Living (ICAL) and Iowa Center for Home Care (ICHC), represent organizations that provide long-term care to Iowans through nursing facilities, assisted-living, residential-care, senior living communities, and home health agencies.
