R.I. nursing homes exceed U.S. satisfaction rates

PROVIDENCE – For the fifth consecutive year, consumer satisfaction for nursing home care in Rhode Island surpassed the national standard, according to the results of a 2010 survey released recently by the R.I. Department of Health.
In Rhode Island, 92 percent of residents and family members rated their satisfaction with facilities as either “good” or “excellent,” topping the national averages of 89 percent for residents and 87 percent of family members.
“These comparative data show that nursing homes’ continued focus on quality of life and the individual choices of residents is important and valuable,” said Dr. Michael Fine, interim director of the R.I. Department of Health. “That 92 percent of residents and family members would recommend their nursing home to anyone needing skilled care testifies to the quality of nursing homes in our state.”
Together with publicly available information about care outcomes, the satisfaction scores provide additional information consumers can use to make informed choices when selecting a nursing home, agency officials said.
“This process allows individuals to give feedback about nursing homes,” said Gail Patry, director of long-term care at Quality Partners of Rhode Island. “The data also help nursing homes monitor their own residents’ experiences.”
Individual nursing home scores can be viewed at www.health.ri.gov/nursinghomes/about/quality/index.php.