Ratings assure public of quality, staffing and compliance
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has awarded Five-Stars in overall quality to all four of United Methodist Communities’ full-service campuses. These include United Methodist Communities at Bristol Glen (Newton), Collingswood, Pitman and The Shores (Ocean City). The CMS also gives separate ratings for health inspections, staffing and quality measures (QMs).
What guidance can people seeking long-term care facilities or wishing to confirm high level of care find for themselves or loved ones? Each state and the CMS, part of the federal Department of Health and Human Services, monitors and regulates long-term care facilities.
They created the Five-Star Quality Rating System to address these concerns and protect the most vulnerable. The system assigns between 1-star for much below average and five-stars for much above average quality. Medicare’s Nursing Home Compare website (www.medicare.gov/nursinghomecompare) allows comparisons of nursing homes nationally.
Each of United Methodist Communities’ four full-service campuses experienced at least one annual health inspection from state and/or CMS survey representatives. CMS maintains oversight for compliance with the Medicare health and safety standards for facilities serving Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries. Therefore, in order to accomplish that goal and to accurately survey and assess, visits are always unannounced.
The onsite survey teams have full access to every operational aspect, assuring compliance with established standards, requirements, and regulations. They analyze staffing, accounting for the mandated numbers within each level of care, with acute care requiring lower staff to resident ratios. The QM Rating has information on 11 different physical and clinical measures for short and long-stay nursing home residents.
CMS uses more than 12 million assessments of the conditions of nursing home residents in their Five-Star rating system. The latest QM rating reflects United Methodist Communities’ data from April 2016 through June 2017 and the claims-based quality measures from July 2015 through June 2016.
Vice President of Operations, Dr. Carol McKinley, proudly remarked, “The effort of all of UMC communities for assuring quality is reflected in these five-star ratings. I am grateful to all of our communities and to the associates for this high standard of achievement.”
Visit UMCommunities.org for additional information.
About United Methodist Communities
United Methodist Communities is a not-for-profit organization guided by a volunteer board of directors affiliated in ministry with the United Methodist Church of Greater New Jersey. The mission of the United Methodist Communities is compassionately serving in community so that all are free to choose abundant life. With over 110 years of continuous operation, the organization has grown to nine communities offering independent, residential and assisted living; memory support; respite; rehabilitation; long-term care; hospice and palliative care; and affordable senior housing to people of all faith backgrounds. In 2016, United Methodist Communities expanded its older adult services to include in-home personal care and case management through HomeWorks.
