eAlert Mon, 08/07/2006 - 12:00 41db5354-15af-41de-b606-4140db817e91

<p>Despite federal regulations designed to improve nursing homes, the state agencies responsible for overseeing nursing home care have often failed to correct problems, according to a Commonwealth Fund-supported study in the September issue of <em>Consumer Reports.</em><br><br>For the article, "<a href="/cnlib/pub/enews_clickthrough.htm?enews_item_id=23499&return_url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww%2Ecmwf%2Eorg%2Ftopics%2Ftopics%5Fshow%2Ehtm%3Fdoc%5Fid%3D387702%26%23doc387702">Nursing Homes: Business as Usual</a>," <em>Consumer Reports</em> analyzed state inspection reports for 16,000 U.S. nursing homes, as well as staffing levels and quality indicators, such as the number of residents who develop pressure sores despite the absence of risk factors. The state-by-state <em>Consumer Reports</em> Nursing Home Quality Monitor database (formerly the Nursing Home Watch List) names facilities in each state that rank in the best or worst 10 percent on at least two of three dimensions of quality.<br><br>According to the researchers, people can increase their odds of choosing a good nursing home if they narrow their search by type. For example, not-for-profit and independently run homes are more likely to provide good care than for-profit or chain facilities.</p>

http://www.commonwealthfund.org/publications/newsletters/ealerts/2006/aug/business-as-usual--consumer-reports-investigates-nursing-homes