New research has ranked states in the U.S. based on data from nursing facilities that reported deficiencies to assess care quality. This reveals how many states are failing to provide the quality care elderly loved ones deserve, leaving families worried about their safety and well-being.
California, Washington and New Mexico are among the states with the worst-rated nursing homes, according to injury lawyer Bader Scott, who examined data on nursing facilities that mentioned deficiencies, which was used to rank states on the quality of their nursing homes.
In some states, nearly every nursing home reports significant deficiencies in areas like quality of care, resident rights, and pharmacy services. In these areas, residents may not receive the attention or care they need.
Furthermore, many states report high rates of deficiencies, with many nursing homes showing serious shortcomings in essential services like nutrition and infection control.
The study used the number of facilities that acquired a deficiency in various categories to calculate a weighted average rate of deficiencies for each state. The higher the weighted average rate, the poorer the quality of nursing homes.
The deficiency categories were as follows:
• Quality of care
• Resident rights
• Pharmacy services
• Food and nutrition services
• A comprehensive resident-centred care plan
• Infection control
• Freedom from abuse, neglect, and exploitation
• Quality of life
• Resident assessments
• Nursing services
The ten states with the worst-rated nursing homes
- California
- Washington
- New Mexico
- West Virginia
- Maryland
- Nevada
- Oregon
- Hawaii
- Missouri
- Michigan
As indicated from the rankings, California has the worst-rated nursing homes, with an average rate of deficiencies of 63.6 percent. No single nursing facility in the state recorded no deficiencies, while more than one-quarter (26 percent) had serious deficiencies.
Coming in a close second with the most problematic nursing homes is Washington, with an average rate of deficiencies of 63.1 percent. Of the 198 nursing homes in the state, 98% had at least some recorded deficiency. The state also recorded an average of 15.3 deficiencies per nursing facility. The majority (89 percent) of the nursing homes in Washington had deficiencies in quality of care, and 76 percent had deficiencies in resident rights.
In third place is New Mexico, with an average rate of deficiencies of 62.5 percent. In this state, 85 percent of nursing facilities had deficiencies in comprehensive resident-centred care plans.
Fourth is West Virginia, with an average rate of deficiencies of 57.5 percent. Of the 123 nursing facilities in the state, the average number of deficiencies per facility is 12.4. The data also showed that 89 percent of facilities had deficiencies in quality of care.
Taking fifth is Maryland, with an average rate of deficiencies of 57.3 percent. The state has the joint-highest average number of deficiencies per certified nursing facility (15.4) in the top ten, joint with New Mexico. In Maryland, more than three-quarters (78 percent) of the nursing facilities had a deficiency in resident rights and 76 percent had a deficiency in the quality of care.
In sixth is Nevada, with an average rate of deficiencies of 57.2 percent. In seventh is Oregon, with an average rate of deficiencies of 56.1 percent. Oregon had the lowest average number of deficiencies per certified nursing facility among the top ten states, with 10.8 per facility.
Hawaii is eighth on this list, with an average rate of deficiencies of 55.9 percent. Hawaii has the lowest number of nursing facilities of the top ten states (43), and the average number of deficiencies per facility is 11.7. In ninth is Missouri, with an average rate of deficiencies of 55.2 percent. Michigan is tenth. The state has an average rate of deficiencies of 55.1 percent.
This research highlights the need for improved care and oversight in nursing homes across the U.S. in order to drive up standards. Nationwide regulation is clearly needed.
