With academic researchers, and the peer review process, you can expect some level of peer review and documentation of how conclusions are drawn. And with journalists, much the same.
Maggots, Rape and Yet Five Stars: How U.S. Ratings of Nursing Homes Mislead the Public
Much of the information submitted to C.M.S. is wrong. Almost always, that incorrect information makes the homes seem cleaner and safer than they are. Some nursing homes inflate their staffing levels by, for example, including employees who are on vacation. The number of patients on dangerous antipsychotic medications is frequently understated. Residents’ accidents and health problems often go unreported. In one sign of the problems with the self-reported data, nursing homes that earn five stars for their quality of care are nearly as likely to flunk in-person inspections as to ace them. But the government rarely audits the nursing homes’ data.
— The New York Times, March 13, 2021
NYT: You Are as Much of the Problem as the Five-Star System
Staffing data comes from the Payroll-Based Journal (PBJ) — read: payroll. I’m having a hard time understanding how a nursing home could manipulate its payroll data. The Five-Star domain that carries the most weight is the health index (survey findings). These are deficiencies from annual recertifications and complaint surveys. Nursing homes do not self-report this data; in fact, surveys are conducted through an elaborate data-driven process that guides on-site investigation.
— McKnight’s Long-Term Care News, April 2, 2021
Maggots, Rape and Yet Five Stars: How U.S. Ratings of Nursing Homes Mislead the Public
I hesitated about 24 hours on whether to share this New York Times article with this title posted March 13, 2021 then decided that we all needed to see this – to be aware of what’s “out there.” Sit down with a cup of coffee and review the piece. Warning: It will take a few passes to digest if that’s even possible. It’s scathing…
…Take a good look at your PBJ submissions as well – check for accuracy. When was the last time you audited your MDS process? Really reviewed your Quality Measure and other CASPER reports? Don’t ignore the public-facing information that you generate – get on top of it!
— SimpleLTC, March 16, 2021
