Briggs introduces a new program to improve quality of healthcare in nursing homes

Aug 27 2009

Briggs, the company known for over 60 years as a trusted provider of documentation solutions to long term care facilities, today announced a unique program to improve the quality of care in the nation's 14,000 Medicare and Medicaid certified nursing homes.

Briggs' new 5-Star Rating Improvement Center was created in response to the five-star rating system implemented late last year by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid to give consumers a way to compare nursing homes against federal standards.

The Center addresses the needs of facilities who received lower ratings in the quality measures section of the CMS rating system. The Center helps under-achieving nursing homes improve resident care by matching products with specific problems in all ten quality measures including pain, pressure sores, aids to daily living, and immobility.

The 5-Star Rating Improvement Center matches products from the company's selection of more than 10,000 forms, medical products, and training materials directly with deficiencies cited in CMS surveys.

Briggs Clinical Consultant, Karen Merk, RN, B.S.,CRNAC said, "Every Briggs form and product reflects healthcare's best practices, and as such are valued by nursing homes for being up-to-date with current regulations. That's how we help nursing homes achieve their care goals."

Receiving a low five-star rating can result in a significant financial impact to a nursing home. "Not only is the care of loved ones at stake, but five-star also impacts the viability of many nursing homes and their employees," said Alan Yefsky, Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer for Briggs.

The company estimates that a loss of even one resident could represent $75,000 in lost revenue to a skilled nursing facility. "We've heard that low ratings have impacted nursing home census levels and even resulted in administrators losing their jobs. It's critical that we help them improve," Yefsky added.

Under the CMS system, any nursing home that accepts Medicare and Medicaid reimbursement for resident care is subject to reviews. The results are released to the public as ratings on a scale of one to five stars. A reported 50,000 consumers view the five-star ratings daily on the CMS website.

While rating standards and procedures have raised concerns in the nursing home industry, CMS designed the program to help nursing home residents and their families make meaningful decisions between high and low performing nursing homes. Almost 10,000 facilities have received a rating of one, two, or three stars out of a possible five.