Pinecrest Manor has earned a zero-deficiency resident care survey from the Pennsylvania Department of Health Division of Nursing Care Facilities. The score, which is the highest possible score that can be earned by a nursing home, places Pinecrest Manor in the top four percent of nursing homes nationwide.
“This is the best resident care survey that Pinecrest Manor has had in its 42-year history,” said David A. Wolfe, NHA, the Pinecrest Manor Administrator. “Our deficiency-free survey result is a shining example of the hard work and dedication of our employees. I would like to thank our staff members for their deep commitment to our residents. I am proud to lead an organization such as this, where resident care is the top priority of every employee.”
“The result of the resident care survey at Pinecrest Manor is a testament to the commitment our employees show when it comes to providing high quality care for our patients and residents,” said Gregory P. Bauer, the president and CEO of Elk Regional Health System. “Earning the highest possible score from the state Department of Health is not something that happens overnight, but is instead the culmination of months of hard work and preparation.”
Inspectors for the state Department of Health Division of Nursing Care Facilities visit all of the nursing homes in Pennsylvania to review their compliance with state and federal regulations.
Between October 16 and October 19, a team of four inspectors performed a rigorous, unannounced resident care inspection at the 138-bed long-term care facility. Inspectors asked about and observed every aspect of patient care in categories such as nutrition care, wound care, medicine management, and quality. Inspectors also conducted one-on-one interviews with residents regarding the care that is provided to them and also spoke with family members and Pinecrest Manor staff.
The deficiency-free survey is the culmination of years of work spent focusing on improving the quality of care provided at Pinecrest Manor. In 2010, the state Department of Health identified eight deficiencies during the facility’s annual resident care survey. In 2011, that number dropped to just two deficiencies.
The survey result also spotlights the overwhelming success of Pinecrest Manor’s new quality care initiatives, which have been in place for several months. An interdisciplinary quality team, made up of Pinecrest Manor employees and supported by the Health System administration, has worked to improve using evidence based guidelines, which are considered the gold standard for best practice in categories of care such as fall prevention. The team has focused on pressure ulcers, urinary tract infections, pain management, falls with major injuries, and activities of daily living.
“When it comes to providing exceptional resident care, there are many pieces to the puzzle,” said Marie Goode, RN, the Director of Nursing at Pinecrest Manor. “Every single person in every single department is responsible for a piece of the puzzle and the Department of Health leaves no stone unturned. We are all extremely proud of what we have accomplished together.”
When the state Department of Health officially publishes the survey results in early 2013 on the federal government’s Nursing Home Compare Five Star Rating Web site, Pinecrest Manor officials expect the facility’s Health Inspection rating to increase significantly, which may also increase its overall score on the Five Star Rating system.
