Sufficient staffing is an important indicator of the quality and safety of a nursing home. In previous years, staffing data published in facility listings on Nursing Home Compare relied on self-reporting.
To provide for more accuracy in reporting, the 2010 Affordable Care Act now requires nursing home facilities to electronically submit direct care staffing information (including agency and contract staff) based on payroll and other auditable data. This requirement came into law in 2010 but was not implemented into federal rules until August 2015. The first mandatory reporting period began July 2016, and the first publication of this report to the general public began in the fall of 2017.
The Long Term Care Community Coalition has made this information more accessible by compiling the data into easy-to-use files for each state, as well as a single national file. The files include the name of the state, name of the nursing home, number of residents in the facility, RN hours, LPN hours, CNA hours, total direct care staff time, average staffing hours per resident per day, and average RN hours per resident per day.
This report can be helpful in choosing a prospective nursing home for yourself or a loved one. The data reveals whether the facility has many residents or few; how much time is being spent with each resident (on average); and whether there is enough staffing for the number of residents. The chart can help you understand the data better by making comparisons to different nursing homes in your area. If you or your loved one needs nursing home care now or in the future, our experienced attorneys can help you protect your assets and plan for long-term care.
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