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Resources and Tools
Please click here for alphabetical listing of "Additional Resources"
(See highlighted links for recently added resources)
Join the National Advancing Excellence Campaign!
- How nursing homes can register online
- How nursing homes can view their progress on selected goals
- How nursing homes enter data for goals 6, 7 and 8
Advancing Excellence Newsletters
Advancing Excellence Webinars
- June 3, 2008 - Consistent Assignment - The Practice and the Experience (PowerPoint or PDF, with separate audio [may take a few minutes to load], fact sheet for consumers, and implementation guide)
- February 21, 2008 - Reducing Pressure Ulcers in Nursing Homes: An Interdisciplinary Process Framework (PowerPoint or PDF, with separate audio [may take a few minutes to load] and fact sheet for consumers)
- January 8, 2008 - Improving Pain Management by Using the Advancing Excellence Campaign Frameworks (PowerPoint or PDF, with separate audio [may take a few minutes to load])
Clinical Quality and Organizational Improvement Goals
The goals of the Advancing Excellence in America's Nursing Home Campaign is to focus on both clinical quality and organization improvement.
- Clinical quality goals, which are publicly reported on Nursing Home Compare, are already familiar to providers.
- Organizational improvement goals, including resident and family satisfaction surveys, seek to increase staff retention and allow for better, more consistent care for nursing home residents.
Goal #5: Establishing Individual Targets for Improving Quality Implementation Guide
Goal #6: Assessing Resident and Family Satisfaction Implementation Guide
Goal #7: Increasing Staff Retention Implementation Guide
Goal #8: Improving Consistent Assignment of Nursing Home Staff Implementation Guide
Nursing Home Staff Retention and Satisfaction
The following worksheets provides a template for the calculation of both staff turnover and resident/family satisfaction.
Calculation of Turnover Workbook (xls)
This easy-to-use template is a mechanism for tracking and monitoring monthly turnover. This workbook will help nursing home staff prepare entries for submission of turnover data for Goal #7.CNA Turnover Worksheet (Created by IPRO; 2006)
The following worksheet is a template for tracking and monitoring monthly CNA turnover. This worksheet will also help nursing home staff prepare entries for submission of turnover data for Goal #7.
Nursing Home Satisfaction Survey Tools (pdf)
This document contains a list of tools for measuring resident and/or family satisfaction. These tools can be helpful for conducting satisfaction surveys to satisfy the requirements of Goal #6.
Technical Assistance
The Technical Assistance documents provide evidence-based information in support of all eight campaign goals. The purpose of this information is to help nursing homes:
- Identify and manage the problems, risks, and health related conditions of nursing home residents; and
- Provide individualized care and improved outcomes.
The process frameworks, associated flow diagrams and resource guide are designed to assist participating nursing homes in meeting their selected campaign goals: (MS Word documents)
- How to Use Process Frameworks
- Clinical Goals (Goals 1-4): Process Frameworks and Flow Diagrams
- Operational Goals (Goals 5-8): Process Frameworks and Flow Diagrams
- Resources and Tools for All Goals
Additional Resources (See highlighted links for recently added resources)
The following is a list of various resources that may be helpful when setting quality improvement targets (listed alphabetically):
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
Achievable Benchmark of Care
The Achievable Benchmark of Care (ABC™) system is continually being developed at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) under an initiative of the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ). This manual has been written to help practitioners, administrators, payers, and anyone else charged with improving the quality of health care, to use the ABC system.
Advancing Excellence in America's Nursing Homes Campaign
This two-year campaign launched in September 2006, and included among the campaign's eight measurable goals is one (Goal 5) that asks nursing homes to use STAR to set targets. The campaign's unprecedented coalition includes long-term care providers, caregivers, medical and quality improvement experts, government agencies, consumers and others. Together, coalition members are building on the success of other quality initiatives to improve the quality of care and quality of life for those living or recuperating in America's nursing homes.
Agency for Heathcare Research and Quality (AHRQ)
AHRQ is the Nation's lead Federal agency for research on health care quality, costs, outcomes, and patient safety. They are the home to research centers that specialize in major areas of health care research. AHRQ’s mission is to improve the quality, safety, efficiency, and effectiveness of health care for all Americans.
The Alzheimer’s Association is the leading voluntary health organization in Alzheimer care, support and research. Our mission is to eliminate Alzheimer's disease through the advancement of research; to provide and enhance care and support for all affected; and to reduce the risk of dementia through the promotion of brain health.
American Association of Homes and Services for the Aging (AAHSA)
The American Association of Homes and Services for the Aging (AAHSA) association represents 5,600 not-for-profit nursing homes, continuing care retirement communities, assisted living and senior housing facilities, and community service organizations. AAHSA serves its members by representing the concerns of not-for-profit organizations that serve the elderly through interaction with Congress and federal agencies. It also strives to enhance the professionalism of practitioners and facilities through educational conferences and programs, and publications representing current thinking in the long-term care and retirement housing fields.
American Health Quality Association (AHQA) Quality Improvement Organization (QIO) Locator
The American Health Quality Association (AHQA) represents Quality Improvement Organizations (QIOs) and professionals working to improve the quality of health care in communities across America. QIOs share information about best practices with physicians, hospitals, and nursing homes. Working together with health care providers, QIOs identify opportunities and provide assistance for improvement.
American College of Health Care Administrators (ACHCA)
ACHCA is a non-profit membership organization, which provides superior educational programming, certification in a variety of positions, and career development for its members. Guided by the vision that dynamic leadership forges long term health care services that are desired, meaningful, successful, and efficient, ACHCA identifies, recognizes, and supports long term care leaders, advocating for their mission and promoting excellence in their profession.
American Health Care Association (AHCA)
The American Health Care Association (AHCA) is a federation of state health organizations, together representing nearly 12,000 non-profit and for-profit assisted living, nursing facility, residential services for persons with mental retardation and developmental disabilities, and sub acute care providers. AHCA represents the long-term care community to the nation at large - to government, business leaders, and the general public. It also serves as a force for change within the long-term care field, providing information, education, and administrative tools that enhance quality at every level.
American Medical Directors Association (AMDA)
The American Medical Directors Association is the professional association of medical directors and attending physicians practicing in the long term care continuum, dedicated to excellence in patient care by providing education, advocacy, information, and professional development.
American Nurses Association (ANA)
The American Nurses Association is a professional organization representing 2.7 million registered nurses (RNs) through its 54 constituent member associations. The ANA advances the nursing profession by fostering high standards of nursing practice, promoting the economic and general welfare of nurses in the workplace, projecting a positive and realistic view of nursing, and by lobbying the Congress and regulatory agencies on health care issues affecting nurses and the public.
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) administers the Medicare program and works in partnership with the States to administer Medicaid, the State Children’s Health Insurance Program, and health insurance portability standards. In addition to these programs, CMS has other responsibilities, including the administrative simplifications standards from the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996, quality standards in health care facilities through its survey and certification activity, and clinical laboratory quality standards.
Continuing Care Leadership Coalition (CCLC)
CCLC is a membership and advocacy organization comprising more than 100 of the nation’s most innovative and comprehensive not-for-profit and public long term care organizations, located in the New York metropolitan area and beyond. CCLC helps shape, through advocacy, research, and education, an environment that supports the delivery of, and access to, continuing care services of the highest quality within the greater New York region and beyond. CCLC’s members are leaders in the delivery of skilled nursing care, home health care, adult day health care, respite care, hospice care, rehabilitation and subacute care, senior housing and assisted living, and services to special populations in the need of continuing care.
Culture Change Now and Action Pact, Inc.
Action Pact, Inc. is a company of consultants and trainers who provide nursing homes with practical education, products, services, and training materials on Culture Change. The website and magazine for Action Pact, Inc. is titled ‘Culture Change Now.’
The New York State Department of Health (DOH) and State Office for the Aging (SOFA), brought together providers from the continuum of care, consumer advocacy groups and various offices within DOH, to examine the challenges of patient transfers between the levels of health care. The following link provides information and resources for both consumers and professionals.
The Eden Alternative is a movement dedicated to changing nursing homes by focusing on an elder-centered community, and by altering the environment with plants, and increased human and animal companionship. The Eden Alternative believes through altering the nursing home environment, the issues of loneliness, helplessness, and boredom will be alleviated for the elders.
Enhanced Set of Quality Measures Resource Manual
This Quality Measures Resource Manual contains detailed information on the enhanced set of quality measures that are being implemented by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) as part of the Nursing Home Quality Initiative (NHQI).
Healthcare Association of New York State (HANYS)
The Healthcare Association of New York State (HANYS), the only statewide hospital and continuing care association in New York State, represents more than 550 non-profit and public hospitals, nursing homes, home care agencies, and other health care organizations. HANYS' mission: To advance the health of individuals and communities by providing leadership, representation, and service to health providers and systems across the entire continuum of care.
Home Health Compare
Home Health Compare has information about Home Health Quality Measures: Quality measures give you information about how well home health agencies provide care for some of their patients. The measures provide information about patients' physical and mental health, and whether their ability to perform basic daily activities is maintained or improved. Quality information can be used to help you compare home health agencies.
Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI)
The Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI) is a not-for-profit organization who's goal is the improvement of health care throughout the world. IHI was founded in 1991 and is based in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The Institute helps accelerate change in health care by cultivating promising concepts for improving patient care and turning those ideas into action.
An independent, not-for-profit New York corporation, IPRO's clients include federal and state agencies, providers, managed care organizations, commercial insurers, Fortune 500 companies, business coalitions and unions across the country. IPRO's Nursing Home Quality Improvement (NHQI) team works with nursing homes throughout the state to help improve the quality of care for nursing home residents by providing facilities with complimentary clinical resources, quality improvement materials, and, where indicated or requested, one-on-one technical support.
Under the NHQI 8th SOW, IPRO is focusing on the improvement of the following 5 measures: Chronic Pain, High Risk Pressure Ulcers, Restraints, Depression Quality, and Organizational Culture Change are new focus areas.
Setting Targets Achieving Results (STAR)
Setting Targets-Achieving Results (STAR) was created to allow nursing homes to set targets for the following quality measures: physical restraints, high-risk pressure ulcers, depression, chronic care pain, post acute care pain, and post acute care pressure ulcers. Registered nursing homes can view their quality measure scores, select appropriate targets, and track their progress over time.
Registration on this site is free and available to all Medicare and/or Medicaid certified nursing homes
An independent, not-for-profit organization, The Joint Commission accredits and certifies nearly 15,000 health care organizations and programs in the United States. Joint Commission accreditation and certification is recognized nationwide as a symbol of quality that reflects an organization’s commitment to meeting certain performance standards.
The Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC) is an independent Congressional agency established by the Balanced Budget Act of 1997 (P.L. 105-33) to advise the U.S. Congress on issues affecting the Medicare program. The Commission's statutory mandate is quite broad: In addition to advising the Congress on payments to private health plans participating in Medicare and providers in Medicare's traditional fee-for-service program, MedPAC is also tasked with analyzing access to care, quality of care, and other issues affecting Medicare.
MedQIC
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has created this comprehensive online resource of quality improvement information for Medicare’s National Quality Improvement Priority Topics. The purpose of MedQIC is to support Quality Improvement Organizations and providers of services to Medicare beneficiaries in finding, using, and sharing quality improvement resources. Information on MedQIC is organized by settings and clinical topics and includes resources for each Priority Topic. You may also search the entire database for literature, tools, and other information related to improving quality of care.
MedQIC - Improving Care in Nursing Homes
The differences in needs, characteristics, circumstances, expected outcomes, and long-term status of elders residing in nursing homes requires that staff employ a variety of techniques and strategies to provide quality care and ensure the quality of life for every resident.
National Association Directors of Nursing Administration in Long Term Care (NADONA)
The National Association Directors of Nursing Administration in Long Term Care represents over 6,000 members. It is the largest educational organization committed exclusively to nursing and administration professional in the Long Term Care and Assisted Living professions.
National Association of Geriatric Nursing Assistants (NAGNA)
The National Association of Geriatric Nursing Assistants is a professional association representing more than 30,000 CNAs. Their goal is to assure the highest quality of care was provided to the nation’s elders living in nursing homes, achieved by elevating the professional standing and performance of nursing assistants.
National Gerontological Nurses Association (NGNA)
The National Gerontological Nurses Association (NGNA) was founded in 1984 and is dedicated to the clinical care of older adults across diverse care settings. Members include clinicians, educators, and researchers with vastly different educational preparation, clinical roles, and interest in practice issues. Members of the National Gerontological Nursing Association (NGNA) work in the following roles: Staff Nurse, Clinical Nurse Specialist Manager, Administrator, Clinical Educator, Academic Educator, Nurse Practitioner, and Researcher.
National Patient Safety Foundation
The National Patient Safety Foundation is an independent not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organization that has been diligently pursuing one mission since its founding in 1997 – improving the safety of our healthcare system. Almost a decade later, NPSF remains the sole organization in the field with this singular focus.
National Pressure Ulcer Advisory Panel (NPUAP)
The National Pressure Ulcer Advisory Panel (NPUAP) is an independent not-for-profit professional organization dedicated to advancing the scientific knowledge base on the prevention and management of pressure ulcers. Formed in 1987, the NPUAP is composed of a multi-disciplinary team of leading experts from a variety of healthcare disciplines including nursing, medicine, physical therapy, occupational therapy, dietetics, and engineering – who all share a commitment to pressure ulcer care. The Mission of NPUAP is to provide multi-disciplinary leadership for improved patient outcome in pressure ulcer prevention and management through education, public policy, and research – which is achieved by the work of the three committees – Education, Research, and Public Policy.
The National Quality Forum (NQF) is a not-for-profit membership organization created to develop and implement a national strategy for health care quality measurement and reporting. A shared sense of urgency about the impact of health care quality on patient outcomes, workforce productivity, and health care costs prompted leaders in the public and private sectors to create the NQF as a mechanism to bring about national change.
New York Association of Homes and Services for the Aging (NYAHSA)
NYAHSA is a statewide organization of socially responsible, community-benefit organizations dedicated to providing high quality health care, housing, and community services to the elderly and people with special needs. NYAHSA's more than 600 members serve an estimated 500,000 New Yorkers annually. NYAHSA's mission is to represent its members and promote the association's vision through ethical leadership, advocacy, education, research, information, and other services. NYAHSA's members include nursing homes, adult care facilities, assisted living providers, continuing care retirement communities, senior housing facilities, home care agencies, adult day care providers, and community services serving people of all ages.
New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH)
The NYS Department of Health provides various provider and consumer resources affecting New York State’s health care industry. Some of these resources include information related to: Long-Term Care, Nursing Home Profile, Influenza (Flu), Immunization, HIV/AIDS, Emergency Preparedness & Response, Health Information Technology (Health IT), Family & Community Health, and Diseases & Conditions. Also available on the site are NYS Laws & Regulations, Statistics & Data, Events & Training, Grants/Funding Opportunities, Permits, Forms, Licenses & Certification, Press Releases & Reports, Freedom of Information Law (FOIL), Webcasts, and links to other related sites.
NYS Health Provider Network was created by the New York State Department of Health. This user/password protected site provides NYS Nursing Homes with up-to-the-minute information on important events, new rules and regulations, Dear Administrator Letters (DAL), Criminal History Record Checks (CHRC), Nursing Home Surveys, Data Submission, Emergency Preparedness Activities, and other important resources.
For additional resources on the HPN website, visit the Program Page at https://commerce.health.state.ny.us/hpn/progmenu.html .
This page provides excellent resources and links related to: AIDS Institute, Center for Community Health, Center for Environmental Health, Division of Health Care Financing, Office of Health Systems Management, Division of Planning, Policy & Research Development, Office of Managed Care, Office of Medicaid Management, Office of Science and Public Health, Vital Records, Division of Administration, and the Wadsworth Center.
Home Health and Hospice Profile
Provides information on home health agencies and hospice programs in New York State.
Provides information on New York State nursing homes in New York State.
The Long Term Care Ombudsman Program (or LTCOP) is a federal advocacy program dedicated to protecting people living in long term care facilities. In New York State, the Office for the Aging operates LTCOP though its Office of the State Long Term Care Ombudsman.
The Patient Safety Center, established as part of the Patient Health Information and Quality Improvement Act of 2000, provides information to maximize patient safety, reduce medical errors, improve the quality of health care by improving systems of data reporting, collection, analysis and dissemination, and improve public access to health care information.
New York Regional Health Care Report Card
The New York Regional Health Care Report Card presents access, service and quality data for all hospitals and commercial managed care plans in New York and New Jersey. Each quality measures page displays a selection of data that indicates at a glance whether the facilities or organizations are performing above, at, or below average. HMOs and hospitals are measured on how good a job they do ensuring members and patients get the right care
New York State Health Facilities Association (NYSHFA)
Founded in 1949, the New York State Health Facilities Association (NYSHFA) is a statewide membership organization of more than 250 licensed nursing facilities. The membership includes individual and multi-facility operations of proprietary, voluntary and government sponsorship. NYSHFA members, who care for nearly 45,000 New Yorkers, are dedicated to the highest standards of care and to the quality of life of their residents. NYSHFA is an affiliate of the American Health Care Association
New York State Office of the Aging (SOFA)
Provides information on aging services, programs, events, funding opportunities and more.
Nursing Home Compare
The primary purpose of this tool is to provide detailed information about the past performance of every Medicare and Medicaid certified nursing home in the country. Important Information on Nursing Home Compare and other resources, including the Guide to Choosing a Nursing Home, and Nursing Home Checklist are also available to help you with your nursing home choice. Use these tools, along with the information you gather during your visits to the nursing homes you are interested in to make your best choice.
Paraprofessional Healthcare Institute
The Paraprofessional Healthcare Institute works with organizations, providers, educators, and consumers to address workforce issues and develop sustainable solutions for the long-term care setting.
Pennsylvania Restraint Reduction Initiative and Untie the Elderly
Kendal Outreach, LLC provides resources and programs to agencies and organizations dealing with elder care and quality improvement. Two of the initiatives for which Kendal Outreach, LLC provides programs and Services are: the Pennsylvania Restraint Reduction Initiative, designed to provide education on safe practices; and the Untie the Elderly initiative, with programs to help foster independence for elders.
Pioneer Network
The Pioneer Network is a network of people dedicated to transforming nursing homes from institutions into communities through Culture Change. This grassroots movement is focused on supporting elders and those who care for them by collectively implementing Culture Change and altering the culture of aging in America.
The following is link to a variety of resources and tools relates to the improvement of Pressure Ulcers.
Resident Assessment Instrument User's Manual for the Minimum Data Set
The long-term care facility Resident Assessment Instrument (RAI) User’s manual is published by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. This manual includes updates and clarifications to the processes and clinical items required for the MDS resident assessments. The RAI helps facility staff to gather definitive information on a resident’s strengths and needs, evaluate goal achievement and revise care plans accordingly by enabling the facility to track changes in the resident’s status.
Wellspring
The Wellspring Institute has created the Wellspring Model to facilitated culture change in nursing homes. The two main goals of the Wellspring Model are to improve resident care quality and to improve staff work life quality.
The following is link to a variety of resources and tools related to skin integrity and wound care.
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Phone: (518) 261-8180; Fax: (518) 434-9093; info@empirequality.org