More than 120 members of the skilled nursing community convened in Washington on Thursday for the “Positive Momentum: ‘Quality First’ Conference.” It was the first-ever provider-led conference dedicated to quality improvement in nursing homes, according to the Alliance for Quality Nursing Home Care.

Hosted by the Alliance, a coalition of 16 skilled nursing providers, the conference allowed participants to discuss quality measurement, pay-for-performance incentives and opportunities for further quality improvement. A panel discussion highlighted improvement in key quality indicators throughout the nursing home sector. Indicators included the use of restraints, and impairments in activities of daily living and mobility.

Besides members of the skilled nursing community, the conference included policymakers, scholars and other stakeholders. Notable speakers included Herb Kuhn, director of the Center for Medicare Management at the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, and former Senator Bob Kerrey, who serves as co-chair of the National Commission for Quality Long-Term Care.