HHS Proposes to Improve Safety for Nursing Home Residents
The agency's proposed revisions are the first major rewrite since 1991.
A proposal at the White House Conference on Aging would make major changes to improve the care and safety of residents in nursing homes, according to an HHS announcement. If approved, unnecessary hospital readmissions and infections would be reduced, quality care increased, and safety measures strengthened for the more than 1 million residents in these facilities.
"This proposal is just one part of the administration's overall commitment to transform our health system to deliver better quality care and spend our health care dollars in a smarter way," said HHS Secretary Sylvia M. Burwell. "Today's measures set high standards for quality and safety in nursing homes and long-term care facilities. When a family makes the decision for a loved one to be placed in a nursing home or long-term care facility, they need to know that their loved one's health and safety are priorities."
The last time these practices were updated was in 1991. This rule would bring best practices for resident care to all facilities that participate in Medicare or Medicaid and implement a number of important safeguards that have been identified by patient advocates.