Advancing Excellence in America’s Nursing Homes Campaign Aims at Accelerated Improvement, Resident and Staff Satisfaction

ABCM nursing facilities have joined thousands of nursing homes across the country in a voluntary national initiative, the Advancing Excellence in America’s Nursing Homes campaign. The campaign seeks to accelerate the rate of quality improvement in nursing homes by promoting excellence in care giving for nursing home residents, monitoring key indicators of quality in nursing homes, and acknowledging the critical role of staff in providing high quality care.

The Advancing Excellence in America’s Nursing Homes campaign targets eight measurable clinical quality and organizational improvement goals.

• Goal 1: Reducing high risk pressure ulcers
• Goal 2: Reducing the use of daily physical restraints
• Goal 3: Improving pain management for longer term NH residents
• Goal 4: Improving pain management for short stay, post-acute NH residents
• Goal 5: Establishing individual targets for improving quality
• Goal 6: Assessing resident and family satisfaction with the quality of care
• Goal 7: Increasing staff retention
• Goal 8: Improving consistent assignment of nursing home staff, so that residents regularly receive care from the same caregivers

This campaign allows facilities to be a part of a broad national effort and signal, through data and measurable accomplishments that our efforts are paying off for nursing home residents. The campaign is different from existing national quality initiatives in several respects. It encourages consumer involvement as an important aspect to achieving success. The campaign also acknowledges organizational culture elements, such as the critical role of consistent staffing assignments and resident and family satisfaction, in improving care. More information is available on www.nhqualitycampaign.org.

We encourage our residents and families to take an active interest in the goals of the Advancing Excellence in America’s Nursing Homes campaign. Consumers can sign up to participate in the campaign via its Web site, and we can find ways to work together to meet our goals of improved care.

Updated Enrollment Statistics: as of 4/12/07

Number of ABCM facilities enrolled and participating: 31 (100%)

Number of all of Iowa's nursing facilities enrolled and participating: 108 (23.8%)

Number of nursing facilities nationwide enrolled and participating: 3666 (23.1%)

For more information about faciltiy goals Click Here!