Wisconsin in study to improve nursing home care

[cougarnurse]

Interesting: Wisconsin in study to improve nursing home care - The Business Journal of Milwaukee:

Wisconsin was one of four states chosen to participate in a national project designed to improve care and quality of life for residents of nursing homes while reducing Medicare costs, the state Department of Health Services said Thursday.

The Medicare Nursing Home Value Based Purchasing Demonstration, run by the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services, is designed to include 100 state nursing homes that will participate on a volunteer basis.

“The decision of the federal government to include Wisconsin in this new initiative is just another indication that our state is seen as a national leader in the area of health care reform,” Department of Health Secretary Karen Timberlake said in a written statement. “This demonstration project focuses on nursing home practices that increase quality of care and reduce costs by avoiding more expensive procedures.”

The project will measure quality performance in a number of clinical areas, as well as measure staffing ratios, which have been correlated with better clinical outcomes for residents and higher satisfaction levels among residents and their families.

By improving quality performance in these areas, fewer residents will require episodes of care in hospitals, which will in turn save Medicare dollars. Medicare savings will be paid out to demonstration nursing homes with fewer hospital days when compared with other like nursing homes that are not part of the demonstration.

“Nursing home pay-for-performance initiatives like this demonstration project could be a key component in our continual efforts to improve quality for residents and reduce health care costs,” Timberlake said. “We are hopeful that the lessons we learn in the Medicare demonstration project can be used in our state Medicaid program to allow us to continue to improve care and cut costs for Wisconsin taxpayers,” said Timberlake.

The states of Arizona, Mississippi and New York will also participate in the study.