The Five-Star Quality Rating System is a good idea—in theory. In practice, it has fallen short of acceptable standards.
That was the general sentiment of long-term care providers on the one-year anniversary of the program. From the beginning, providers have generally blasted the system’s approach and results.
The chorus of criticism only seems to have grown louder.
“My feeling is it’s a great idea whose time has not yet come,” said Evvie Munley, senior policy analyst for the American Association of Homes and Services for the Aging.
Five-Star, which gives nursing homes a rating from one to five stars, is part of the Nursing Home Compare Web site. CMS created it to guide consumers as they consider long-term care options.
But Munley and others find that the system fails on several fronts to capture how well facilities actually perform.
From the January 01, 2010 Issue of McKnight's Long-Term Care News
