The new rating is based on six new measures, which include staffing and the rate of turnover over the course of a year.
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has launched its enhanced Nursing Home Five-Star Quality Rating System, as part of the Biden-Harris administration’s goal to ensure nursing home residents receive reliable, quality care.
A revision of a previous system, the Five Star Quality Rating System uses data reported by nursing homes that shows weekend staffing rates for nurses, as well as turnover for nurses and administrators.
Weekend Staffing
- Case-mix adjusted total nurse (RN, LPN/LVN, aide) staffing levels (hours per resident per day)
- Case-mix adjusted RN staffing levels (hours per resident per day)
- Case-mix adjusted total nurse (RN, LPN/LVN, aide) staffing levels (hours per resident per day) on the weekend
Staff Turnover
- Total nurse turnover, defined as the percentage of nursing staff that left the nursing home over a 12-month period
- RN turnover, defined as the percentage of RN staff that left the nursing home over a 12-month period
- Administrator turnover, defined as the number of administrators who left the nursing home over a 12-month period
CMS began posting weekend staffing and turnover rates on Medicare’s Care Compare website in January.
“Research and experience tell us that staffing levels and staff turnover can substantially affect quality of care and health outcomes for people living in nursing homes,” Chiquita Brooks-LaSure, CMS administrator, said in a statement. “This enhancement to the Five-Star Quality Rating System helps to better inform consumers and residents about the care each nursing home provides and encourages nursing homes to improve the staffing of their facilities to foster better outcomes for residents.”
According to CMS research, higher nurse turnover is associated with lower quality of care. It also notes that nurses who have been with a facility longer are more likely to notice small health changes in residents and do something before it gets worse. Additionally, administrators with longer tenures are more likely to have stable leadership, which fosters consistent policies and protocols to better serve residents.
“This enhancement to the Five-Star Quality Rating System helps to better inform consumers and residents about the care each nursing home provides and encourages nursing homes to improve the staffing of their facilities to foster better outcomes for residents.”
Chiquita Brooks-LaSure, CMS administrator
Jasmyne Ray is the revenue cycle editor at HealthLeaders.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
Weekend staffing levels and staff turnover will now be factored into the calculation of nursing home ratings.
The new rating is based on six new measures, which include staffing levels (per resident/per day) and the rate of turnover over the course of a year.