2014 Quality Initiative Recognition Program

Courtney Bishnoi

This year, 7,700 centers across the country achieved one or more of AHCA/NCAL’s four Quality Initiative goals; this includes 7,435 skilled nursing centers and 298 Assisted Living communities. These centers were recognized as part of AHCA/NCAL’s Quality Initiative Recognition Program, a tiered program that recognizes organizations who have achieved one or more of its four Quality Initiative goals.  

AHCA goals for skilled nursingcare members are:

•  safely reduce hospital readmissions within 30 days during a skilled nursing stay by 15 percent;
• increase staff stability by reducing nursing staff turnover by 15 percent;
• increase customer satisfaction by having 90 percent of residents and families willing to recommend their center to others; and 
• safely reduce the off-label use of antipsychotics by 15 percent. 

NCAL goals for assisted living members are:

• safely reduce hospital readmissions by 15 percent; 
• increase staff stability by maintaining nursing staff turnover below 30 percent; 
• increase customer satisfaction to 90 percent; and
•  safely reduce the off-label use of antipsychotics by 15 percent.  

Centers receive increasing levels of recognition as they achieve more goals, referred to as tiers. A total of 153 skilled nursing centers and 4 Assisted Living communities achieved the Tier IV award, recognizing that they achieved all four goals. All organizations who have been recognized as meeting Quality Initiative goals will be honored at the upcoming Quality Symposium, taking place February 23-25 in Austin, TX.

For more information, please contact QualityInitiative@ahca.org.