Choosing a nursing home for yourself or a loved one is a significant decision. To help simplify this process, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) developed the Five-Star Quality Rating System. This system is designed to provide a clear and standardized way to compare nursing homes based on various quality measures. The Nursing Home Care Compare website is your primary resource for accessing these ratings and making informed choices.
The Care Compare website assigns each nursing home an overall rating from 1 to 5 stars. A 5-star rating signifies “much above average” quality, making these facilities stand out in terms of care and services. Conversely, a 1-star rating indicates “much below average” quality, signaling potential areas of concern. Beyond the overall rating, the system also provides specific star ratings in three key categories:
- Health Inspections: This rating reflects the findings from health and safety inspections conducted at the nursing home. A higher star rating in this area suggests a strong track record of regulatory compliance and resident safety.
- Staffing: Staffing ratings evaluate the level of nursing staff available at the facility, including registered nurses, licensed practical/vocational nurses, and certified nursing assistants. Adequate staffing is crucial for providing timely and quality care to residents.
- Quality Measures: These ratings are based on a nursing home’s performance on specific quality measures, such as rates of hospital readmissions, successful discharges, and other indicators of resident well-being and care effectiveness.
It’s important to understand that while the 5-star rating system is a valuable tool for comparing nursing homes, it’s not the only factor to consider. CMS emphasizes that no rating system can capture every aspect of what makes a nursing home the right fit for an individual. For instance, the ratings may not reflect specialized care offerings like dementia care or rehabilitation services. Personal factors, such as proximity to family and friends, also play a significant role in the decision-making process. Choosing a nursing home that is conveniently located for family visits can greatly enhance a resident’s quality of life, even if a more distant facility has a slightly higher rating.
Therefore, the 5-star rating should be used as a starting point in your research. Complement this information by:
- Visiting the Nursing Home: A firsthand visit allows you to observe the environment, interact with staff and residents, and get a feel for the atmosphere of the facility.
- Consulting Other Resources: Seek input from state and local organizations, such as advocacy groups and the State Ombudsman program. These entities can provide additional insights and perspectives on nursing home quality and resident rights.
The CMS provides comprehensive details about the rating system in the Five-Star Quality Rating System Technical Users’ Guide, available for download. This guide offers in-depth explanations of the methodologies and data used to calculate the ratings.
Recent Updates to the Rating System:
CMS continuously updates the Nursing Home Care Compare website and the Five-Star Quality Rating System to enhance transparency and accuracy. Recent updates include:
- Addressing Schizophrenia Coding Errors (January 2023): CMS is auditing schizophrenia coding in Minimum Data Set data and will adjust quality measure star ratings for facilities with inaccurate coding. Citations under informal dispute are now also displayed on Care Compare for increased transparency.
- Incorporating Staff Turnover and Weekend Staffing (January 2022): New measures for staff turnover and weekend staffing levels have been added to Care Compare, providing users with more comprehensive staffing information. These measures were integrated into the Five-Star Quality Rating System in July 2022.
- Resumption of Health Inspection and Quality Measure Ratings (January 2021): Following a period of updates, CMS resumed calculating health inspection and quality measure ratings, ensuring the continued reliability of the system.
By using the 5-star nursing home rating compare tool on the Care Compare website and considering it alongside other crucial factors, you can make a more informed and confident decision when selecting a nursing home that meets your needs or the needs of your loved one.
