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Thursday, July 25, 2024

Gracedale Rating Jumps From Two to Three Stars in Latest CMS Rating

Though the most recent nursing home star ratings have yet to appear on the CMS webpage, they are in and it's good news for Northampton County. The county-owned nursing home has jumped from two (below average) to three (average) stars. 

What's most impressive about the new rating is that Gracedale is now assigned four stars (above average) for staffing. Reported hours of nursing care per resident per day now stands at 4.078 (four hours five minutes), above the national average of 3.798.  

Gracedale still relies heavily on outside agency nurses as it beefs up its staff. Nursing turnover is still quite high and was 68.75% in 2023. 

The nursing home received only one star (much below average) for an item called "quality measures." That is pretty much expected. Gracedale accepts a large number of residents with issues like dementia and Alzheimer's  

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8 comments:

  1. AnonymousJuly 25, 2024 at 5:51 AM

    Nursing homes, especially public nursing homes, were hard to run before the pandemic, now they’re nearly impossible. The time and effort being put into Gracedale is immense.

    ReplyDelete
  2. AnonymousJuly 25, 2024 at 6:34 AM

    Nice to know, but nursing homes are no longer a core function of county government. Since Monroe County recently sold, there are now just 11 PA counties in the business.

    ReplyDelete
  3. AnonymousJuly 25, 2024 at 8:32 AM

    Gracedale is being steadily, incrementally privatized. But this painful incremental, half pregnant approach is expensive. Nobody has the political guts to pull off the Band-Aid. So we'll pay exorbitantly while our betters let market forces do their work for them. But at least the process keeps moving forward.

    ReplyDelete
  4. AnonymousJuly 25, 2024 at 1:40 PM

    Your rationale on “Quality Measures “
    as one star is no defense for Gracedale. No matter who they accept, it is up to the facility staff and administration to maintain and attain the best possible outcome for these residents. No excuses. I agree that it appears they are moving towards privatization with this large percentage of agency staff. Those county employees who can retire now from Gracedale probably should do so if they can, I believe.

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  5. AnonymousJuly 25, 2024 at 7:15 PM

    Is the daycare at Gracedale opened?

    ReplyDelete
  6. AnonymousJuly 26, 2024 at 5:09 PM

    One star in quality measures can be due to many things. Resident population is one but Cedarbrook has similar population and doesn't have one star. It can have to do with poor documentation by all those agency nurses who don't care. It could be due to not enough MDS nurses who aren't able to follow up and manage it. Or it could be due to poor care. Or a combination. Population effects a few quality measures but hardly enough to justify a one star. With and alleged 4.0 staffing which is high there shouldn't be documentation issues if managed correctly

    ReplyDelete
  7. AnonymousJuly 26, 2024 at 9:31 PM

    BernieOHare : Cedarbrook does not have a similar population. It is much more careful about who it takes. NorCo is more inclusive

    ReplyDelete

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