The bill would make it much more difficult for the department to do surveys in a timely manner. The proposed tasks of the Commission are unrealistic. It is not likely that a part-time advisory body will be able to review over 2,000 annual, revisit, and complaint surveys, keep current on the latest state and federal regulations, review the abundant medical literature in the geriatric area, complete a financial audit, and make annual reports to the Legislature. The staff resources to support such an effort would be enormous and would divert substantial resources from more important programs. Establishing a nursing home resident satisfaction survey is unnecessary.
Resources are available to assist consumers in selecting the best nursing home care available.
Both the industry and advocacy groups have satisfaction surveys. Having a third type of survey developed by the Commission is unlikely to prove helpful. The following positions are listed in the analysis of the House Legislative Analysis Section. The Health Care Association of Michigan supports the bill. The Michigan Association of Homes and Services to the Aging and Citizens for Better Care support the concept of the bill.