Reliable Nursing Home Information Lacking
Reliable information on the quality of nursing homes is hard to come by these days, according to an article in the Los Angeles Times.
Currently, a Web site called Nursing Home Compare, which was created by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services in 1998, provides information on nursing homes, from characteristics of residents to staffing and quality. But the Web site has been criticized since its inception over a decade ago.
Legislation included in a health care reform bill could revamp the site, making it more accurate and comprehensive:
That legislation, the Nursing Home Transparency and Improvement Act, would require the site to provide more precise data on staffing ratios and facility ownership, and improve and accelerate the complaint process. It would also require the Department of Health and Human Services to scrutinize the site to ensure the information provided is clear to consumers.
The bill has long been awaited by advocates of nursing home reform.
To read the full article, including shortcomings and assets of the government-run Web site, click here.