The American Health Care Association and the National Center for Assisted Living (AHCA/NCAL) announced the recipients of the 2012 National Quality Award program. A total of 458 skilled nursing or assisted living facilities from across the country earned a Bronze, Silver or Gold from the three-tiered award program which commends those facilities that focus on improving the quality of care for the individuals they serve.
Initiated in 1996 and centered on the criteria of the renowned Baldrige Performance Excellence Program, the AHCA/NCAL National Quality Award program has encouraged long term and post-acute care facilities to achieve performance excellence through continuous learning and development. The programÛªs three levels ÛÒ Bronze, Silver and Gold ÛÒ each maintain meticulous criteria, and facilities seeking to attain all three must do so in succession.
In 2012, 404 facilities earned Bronze and 52 earned Silver. Only two facilities were recipients of the programÛªs highest honor ÛÒ the Gold award. Golden LivingCenter ÛÒ Continental Manor in Abbotsford, WI and Grand Islander Center, Genesis HealthCare in Middletown, RI join the Gold platform with only 11 other facilities that have earned the award since the program began.
The awards were presented during AHCA/NCALÛªs 63rd Annual Convention & Expo, October 7-10 in Tampa, Florida.
For a complete list of the 2012 Quality Award recipients, please visit the AHCA website.
While there is a lot of debate over what constitutes quality in long-term care, nonetheless, these winners should be applauded for their efforts to make life better for residents. You may want to check them out when searching for care for a loved one.