PROVIDENCE, R.I., Aug. 28, 2014 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Nursing home providers are increasingly recognizing that the people who call their facilities "home" should have the opportunity to provide feedback about their care and environment. Under the direction of the Rhode Island Department of Health, the state's nursing homes field surveys to their residents and family members every year using products from My InnerView by National Research Corporation.
The satisfaction survey results from late 2013 show that:
• More than nine out of every 10 nursing home residents and their family members would recommend their nursing home to others
• 89 percent of residents say their quality of life and quality of care in Rhode Island are "excellent" or "good"
• The questions that residents rank best relate to safety, cleanliness, care, and respectfulness of staff
• Rhode Island nursing homes outperform the nation on satisfaction, quality of life, quality of care, and quality of service
This is the eighth consecutive year that Rhode Island nursing homes have outperformed the nation. In addition, 14 nursing homes in the state earned the 2013-2014 Excellence in Action award from My InnerView —a national award program that recognizes skilled nursing homes and senior living communities that achieve outstanding resident and/or employee satisfaction. Learn more about the award .
"I'm pleased that residents and families continue to acknowledge the care and compassion of Rhode Island's nursing homes," said Director of the Rhode Island Department of Health, Michael Fine, M.D. "Most residents and families in Rhode Island are satisfied with their care, which speaks to the commitment of Rhode Island facilities to provide high quality of care while becoming more home-like and giving their residents choices."
The satisfaction survey results provide actionable information. Nursing home providers use this data to identify opportunities to improve the quality of care they provide to their residents. The Department of Health also publishes the results on its website , so that Rhode Islanders can access this information when choosing between nursing homes for themselves or a family member.
"If you don't have experience with nursing homes, it can be hard to know how to choose one," said Rosa Baier, MPH, Senior Scientist at Healthcentric Advisors and director of the Department of Health program that publishes these data. "Resident and family satisfaction is one source of information that can help you make that choice."
Nursing home satisfaction is published annually by the Department of Health's Healthcare Quality Reporting Program, in collaboration with a multi-stakeholder group that includes the nursing home trade associations, LeadingAge Rhode Island, and the Rhode Island Health Care Association. The program releases information about healthcare quality and patient satisfaction to inform consumer decision-making and to encourage facilities to continually improve their performance. Learn more about the quality of care that nursing homes and other healthcare facilities provide by visiting www.health.ri.gov/programs/healthcarequalityreporting/ .
About Rhode Island Department of Health
The primary mission of the Rhode Island Department of Health is to prevent disease and to protect and promote the health and safety of the people of Rhode Island. The Department of Health is a diverse and interactive state agency with broad-ranging public health responsibilities. To learn more, visit www.health.ri.gov/.
About National Research Corporation
For more than 30 years, National Research Corporation (NASDAQ: NRCIA and NRCIB) has been at the forefront of patient-centered care. Today, the company's focus on empowering customer-centric healthcare across the continuum extends patient-centered care to incorporate families, communities, employees, senior housing residents, and other stakeholders.
My InnerView by National Research helps improve quality, resident and family experiences, and employee engagement for skilled nursing homes, assisted living communities, continuing care retirement communities, and independent living communities.
Recognized by Modern Healthcare as the largest patient satisfaction firm in the U.S., National Research is dedicated to representing the true voice of patients and other healthcare stakeholders. This integration of cross-continuum metrics and analytics uncovers insights for effective performance improvement, quality measurement, care transitions, and many other factors that impact population health management.
For more information, call 800-388-4264, write to info@nationalresearch.com, or visit www.nationalresearch.com .
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Christina Batastini Chief Officer of Health Promotion Rhode Island Department of Health 3 Capitol Hill, Room 401 Providence, RI 02908 401-222-3998 Scott Smith Director of Marketing National Research Corporation 800-388-4264
