Q: What stands out the most in your mind with regard to the task force’s report?
A: It’s a very thoughtful and reasoned approach—a cry to the government that
we really need to revisit the entire survey and certification system.
Q: Panelists said they supported the nursing home reform law of 1987, so where did things go wrong?
A: The adoption of various and sundry state operations manual changes that dictate how surveyors evaluate you, and penalize you if there’s non-compliance. They’ve put a chilling effect on care. Keep in mind: The regulations really haven’t changed.
Q: What surprised you the most about the task force work?
A: The reaction of some very thoughtful and experienced people, sometimes former government and survey agency officials, who said they couldn’t tell what was being required (by surveyors). That, to me, was absolutely a watershed revelation. Independent researchers were scratching their heads.
Q: What do you hope for now?
A: That this report raises enough concerns that it prompts the government to convene something analogous to the Institute of Medicine which met back in the mid-1980s to look at the survey and certification system from the standpoint of a research oriented, best practices, professional care giving perspective—as opposed to the completely punitive perspective we currently have.
From the September 01, 2008 Issue of McKnight's Long-Term Care News
