Consumers should use the performance report with other informational resources and personal visits to nursing homes they are considering, the commissioner added. The performance report uses inspection data collected over a two-year period to measure and compare nursing home compliance with 44 specific federal quality standards in the areas of nursing care, resident rights, food services, environment and administration. These criteria represent key indicators of quality of life and quality of care within nursing homes. In the report, nursing homes are awarded one point for each evaluated standard met during the homes' last two federal standard surveys. Nursing homes with two consecutive deficiency-free surveys in the 44 evaluated areas receive a top score of 88 points, while homes that fail to meet those standards receive lower scores.
Consumers can compare nursing homes to each other and to a statewide average score.
New Jersey has 355 nursing homes caring for more than 47,000 state residents. The report includes data on the 332 nursing homes that accept Medicare or Medicaid for payment. Fishman said the state's nursing home performance report is modeled on one unveiled last year by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health. New Jersey is one of only a handful of states to produce such a report. The New Jersey report's first posting shows a statewide average total score of 85.