DDES INFO MEMO 2006-21

STATE OF WISCONSIN
Department of Health and Family Services 
Division of Disability and Elder Services 
DDES Info Memo Series 2006 - 21
Date: December 8, 2006

To: Listserv

For: Nursing Homes
Nursing Home Associations
Board on Aging and Long Term Care
Disability Rights Wisconsin

Cc: Aging and Disability Resource Centers
Area Administrators / Human Services Area Coordinators
Area Agencies on Aging
County Aging Units / Directors
County COP Coordinators
County Department of Community Program Directors
County Departments of Developmental Disabilities Services Directors
County Departments of Human Services Directors
County Departments of Social Services Directors
County Waiver Coordinators
County DD Coordinators
Division of Health Care Financing
Family Care CMO Directors
Independent Living Centers
MetaStar
Office of Quality Assurance
Office of Strategic Finance
Tribal Chairpersons

From: Sinikka Santala, Administrator 
Division of Disabilities and Elder Services 

Kevin Hayden, Administrator
Division of Health Care Financing

Subject: Nursing Home Recognition for Performance (R4P) Quality Initiative

Introduction

This memo announces the Department's 2007 Nursing Home Recognition for Performance (R4P) Quality Initiative. Measuring, reporting, and recognizing performance in order to improve nursing home quality statewide is the reason for this initiative. We also expect this initiative will provide helpful information to consumers and payers, and encourage market driven quality improvement across the nursing home provider community. Many other states and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services are also developing and launching initiatives to define, measure, report and reward nursing home quality.

DDES wants to inform nursing homes and other interested stakeholders about this initiative now so everyone will know to pay attention to the quality index items being measured during 2007.

Background and Explanation

Over the past year DDES has worked with Department staff, other states, and Wisconsin's nursing home stakeholders to develop a first generation quality index intended to measure facility performance. The index functions like a report card. Each facility has the opportunity to earn 100 points total, plus an additional 5 bonus points for achieving a deficiency free health survey. (Please see the attached 2007 Quality Index Score Card for the specifics.)

The index is comprised of five items, three of which relate to staffing. Its scoring is weighted to reflect the importance of adequate and consistent staff as well as stable leadership. Private rooms and federal survey outcomes complete the index. These five index items represent several aspects of nursing home life that are important to residents: enough staff, consistent staff, strong leadership, privacy, and high quality care. During the development of these indices, stakeholders acknowledged that the indices selected are not the only measures of quality. However, in order not to burden providers with additional reporting expectations, the Department restricted selection of the 2007 index items to those with existing data repositories. As the Department's nursing home quality index evolves and matures in succeeding years, we expect that it will include more quality of life measures.

Results of the January through December 2007 performance measurement year will be reported during 2008, and we plan to recognize nursing homes achieving high scores. Consumers, payers, and the nursing homes themselves will be able to compare their performance with that of other Wisconsin nursing homes. While 2007 will be the quality index baseline year, in subsequent years significant progress made toward achieving performance improvement benchmarks may also be measured and recognized.

Summary

Via this DDES Memo, we want to make nursing homes and other interested stakeholders aware that beginning January 1, 2007 data from the five items which comprise the nursing home quality index will be compiled over the course of the 2007 calendar year; and that the 2007 results will be reported in 2008. Wisconsin, like so many other states, is now beginning the journey of measuring, reporting and recognizing performance in order to improve the quality of services provided to Wisconsin's nursing home residents. We share the commitment to high quality care with our partners, and we look forward to learning with you much more about this complex undertaking.

DDES CENTRAL OFFICE CONTACT: Sue Schroeder
Nursing Home Policy Advisor
Department of Health and Family Services
Division of Disability and Elder Services
608-266-6989 
schros@dhfs.state.wi.us  

MEMO WEB SITE: http://dhfs.wisconsin.gov/dsl_info/ 

ATTACHMENT: 2007 Nursing Home Recognition for Performance Quality Index (PDF, 11 KB)

Last Revised: October 24, 2008