Analysis: About 20% of Nursing Homes Receive Consistently Low Marks
About one in five of the country's 15,700 nursing homes consistently receive low quality ratings, according to a USA Today analysis of new CMS data, USA Today reports.
CMS began posting nursing home quality ratings on its Nursing Home Compare Web site in 2008. The rating system uses a five-star scale to rate facilities on health inspections, patient safety, quality of life, staffing levels and other factors.
The USA Today analysis found that:
- More than 250,000 people reside in nursing homes that have received low scores for two consecutive years;
- Nursing home facilities operated by for-profit organizations tend to have the lowest ratings; and
- The lowest-rated facilities had an average of 14 deficiencies each.