Senior Care  by Katie Davis

This past week my care center experienced our yearly Minnesota Department of Health annual survey, where surveyors entered our building to observe, conduct record review, interview and investigate quality initiatives. The MDH is our state agency that performs licensure inspections, certification inspections and complaint investigations for all nursing homes in Minnesota. Nursing homes participating in Medicare and Medicaid are required by federal law to undergo an annual survey and certification process by its state’s health department. All nursing homes must be in substantial compliance with Medicare and Medicaid requirements as well as state law.

Typically a survey team ranges from four to eight individuals who will spend approximately three to five days observing, investigating and interviewing employees, family members and residents on care and services provided on a daily basis. The seven investigative protocols include pressure sores, hydration, abuse prohibition, unintended weight loss, adverse drug reaction, staffing and dining and food service. These protocols provide guidance for surveyors to investigate regulatory requirements related to the issues that may be out of compliance and to cite deficiencies if negative findings are identified.

Due to the highly intensive, rigorous and thorough process of a yearly survey that all nursing homes experience, oftentimes people perceive these surveys to be negative occurrences. I, too, have been guilty of having these feelings due to the highly demanding process.  Though in reality, nursing home surveyors have the same goal as providers: to ensure residents achieve the highest practicable level of well-being. Even though the survey process is highly intensive, it gives me assurance knowing that our center is being held accountable to provide quality of care to those in need.

Nursing home regulations have evolved drastically over the course of time. Due to changes of both state and federal law, nursing homes are now held to a very high level standard of care. For nursing homes that do not provide the high standard of care, the state of Minnesota has a program in place to assist and mandate changes in the care provided to residents.

According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, there are currently 15,700 nursing homes in the United States, which is equivalent to serving 1.4 million seniors. This number is only expected to grow. As a nursing home provider, I am excited to see and experience the continued evolution of nursing homes. Our government and state surveyors play such a key role in helping to evolve nursing homes in a positive manner. If you have never visited a nursing home before, I would highly urge you to visit and tour any of the great nursing homes in Freeborn County.

If you would like more information on the survey process of nursing homes, please feel free to visit the Minnesota Department of Health website at www.health.state.mn.us/.

 

Katie Davis is the campus administrator at Good Samaritan Society of Albert Lea.