New dashboard provides valuable information on Florida’s long-term care facilities

By

Shane Ersland

|

A new Florida Health Care Association (FHCA) dashboard is now available for residents seeking valuable information on long-term care facilities.

 

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The FHCA launched the Long Term Care Quality Dashboard this month to provide transparent data about the quality of care delivered in Florida’s nursing homes.

“Our association is committed to providing information and resources to our members, key stakeholders, and the public across the state to help Florida remain a leader in ensuring high-quality care for its seniors and people with disabilities,” FHCA CEO Emmett Reed said in a statement. “This website makes key data and information readily available, and will serve as an innovative tool to help visitors understand how quality is measured, and what providers are doing to make these advancements.”

Dashboard data includes overarching statistics for the number of nursing homes that are in specific areas, how many residents they are serving, and which nursing homes have earned special recognitions (75% of Florida’s nursing homes have received recognition for providing quality care).

The website also reports nursing turnover, the number of nursing care hours per day provided to residents, and CMS five-star quality evaluation data. It provides data on resident care and safety measures, like the percentages of long-stay residents who need assistance with daily activities, those experiencing urinary tract infections, and those receiving antipsychotics.

Florida ranks as one of the top 15 states for the rate of nursing homes that hold either a four or five-star CMS quality measure (over 71%). It is also a top-10 state for the total number of residents who have increased their independence in completing activities for daily living, and in reducing falls among residents.

“These ongoing strides in quality care in our state’s nursing centers are happening despite historic workforce challenges and limited resources,” Reed said. “Our dedicated caregivers are focused on initiatives designed to improve resident outcomes, but there’s no question we need policymakers to recognize that investing in our care centers will help them enhance their services, and incentivize the next generation of healthcare workers to choose a career in long-term care.”

State lawmakers are currently considering legislation that would use technology to more closely monitor residents in long-term care facilities. Senate Bill 1486 would allow long-term facilities to use electronic monitoring devices to monitor residents in their rooms. They would be installed with authorization from the nursing home or assisted-living facility resident or their representative. The bill would prohibit the facilities from denying admission or discharging a resident for the decision to install electronic monitoring devices.

SB 1486 was introduced in the Senate on March 14th, and awaits a vote from the chamber.