Solutions to address staffing, access to background check information, and the need for satisfaction data were the chief recommendations offered by David Gifford, MD, MPH, AHCA/NCAL Senior Vice President of Quality and Regulatory Affairs at the U.S. Senate Finance Committee hearing on nursing home abuse and neglect on March 6.

Gifford was unequivocal in condemning instances of abuse at the hearing. His prepared remarks noted, “We at the American Health Care Association (AHCA) are appalled and disgusted with the cases of abuse and neglect shared at today’s hearing. Families and residents who are often at their most vulnerable and in the most need of care and support should never have to worry about their safety.

Gifford highlighted the tremendous progress toward improving nursing home quality since the inception of the Quality Initiative in 2012. Care at AHCA member nursing homes continues to improve and remain high for 18 of the 24 quality outcomes measured by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), including fewer residents receiving antipsychotic medications and more people returning home after rehabilitation care.

In offering recommendations on what else can be done to keep residents safe and continue to improve the quality of care provided, Gifford recommended:

1. Expanding federal programs that attract health care workers to the nursing home profession.
2. Strengthening federal regulations around reporting and sharing of information about employees who have engaged in abuse through the creation of a national background check registry.
3. Making resident and family satisfaction ratings of nursing homes publicly available.
   

In the event that family members or the press contact you about the hearing, you can find resources here that explain the true progress of the profession.