40 Florida Long Term Care Centers Earn National Recognition for Best Practices in Quality Care

FHCA Members Earn Bronze, Silver National Quality Awards

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:  July 1, 2014                                       
CONTACT: Kristen Knapp, APR                                                                  
(850) 701-3530 or kknapp@fhca.org

Tallahassee, FL – An impressive total of 40 long term care centers that are members of the Florida Health Care Association recently earned national recognition for their extraordinary commitment to delivering quality care to Florida’s frail elders. The honors are part of the prestigious National Quality Awards program conducted by the American Health Care Association and the National Center for Assisted Living (AHCA/NCAL).

Florida’s long term care centers consistently rank among the best in the nation. Nine outstanding centers have earned the 2014 Silver - Achievement in Quality Award, while another 31 earned the 2014 Bronze - Commitment to Quality Award. The program honors skilled nursing, assisted living and post-acute care centers across the nation that have demonstrated their commitment to improving quality care for seniors and individuals with disabilities.

“Florida long term care providers understand that quality is the cornerstone of their profession,” said Emmett Reed, FHCA Executive Director. “We are pleased that the American Health Care Association is recognizing these centers and their staff for the incredible work they do each day to ensure that our state’s frail elders receive the highest quality care, which they expect and deserve”

Implemented by AHCA/NCAL in 1996, the National Quality Award Program is centered on the core values and criteria of the Baldrige Performance Excellence Program. The program assists providers of long term and post-acute care services in achieving their performance excellence goals. The program has three levels: Bronze, Silver and Gold. Centers begin the quality improvement process at the Bronze level, where they develop an organizational profile with fundamental performance elements such as vision and mission statements and an assessment of customers’ expectations. Bronze applicants must also demonstrate their ability to implement a performance improvement system.

After attaining Bronze recognition, center may attempt to reach the higher standards required for recognition through the Silver – Achievement in Quality Award level. These recipients must demonstrate systematic advancements in quality, plans for continual improvement, and sustainable organizational goals. Trained examiners review each Quality Award application to determine if the center has met the demands of the criteria.  Gold is the most difficult level to attain, with fewer than 20 centers meeting that standard nationwide, including Florida’s first Gold recipient last year.

“These centers have not only successfully applied the criteria of the National Quality Award program, but have demonstrated a true commitment for improving lives through quality care,” said Ed McMahon, Ph.D., Chair of the AHCA/NCAL National Quality Award Board of Overseers. “I applaud and encourage this year’s recipients to continue their quality journeys.”

Florida’s Quality Award recipients will be honored for their achievement during the FHCA 2014 Annual Conference, to be held in Orlando next week. Additionally, these Florida centers will be honored along with all national recipients during the AHCA/NCAL’s 65th Annual Convention and Exposition in Washington, D.C., in October.

Florida’s 2014 Silver Quality Award recipients:

•    Bridgeview Center, Ormond Beach
•    Brynwood Center, Monticello
•    Coastal Health and Rehabilitation Center, Daytona Beach
•    Coquina Center, Ormond Beach
•    Flagler Pines, Bunnell
•    Glen Oaks Health Care, Clearwater
•    Guardian Care and Rehabilitation Center, Orlando
•    Jupiter Medical Center Pavilion, Jupiter
•    The Villa at Carpenters, Lakeland

Florida’s 2014 Bronze Quality Award recipients:

•    Pines of Sarasota, Inc., Sarasota
•    The Glenridge on Palmer Ranch Carroll Center, Sarasota                                      
•    Port Orange Nursing and Rehab, Port Orange         
•    Avante at Melbourne, Melbourne    
•    Pinecrest Convalescent Center, North Miami            
•    Braden River Rehabilitation Center, Bradenton       
•    Heritage Health Care at Tallahassee, Tallahassee    
•    Avante at St. Cloud Inc., St. Cloud    
•    Avante at Orlando, Inc., Orlando      
•    The Fountains Nursing Home, Boca Raton  
•    Freedom Square Rehabilitation & Nursing Services, Seminole        
•    Avante at Lake Worth, Lake Worth  
•    Oakbridge Healthcare Center, Lakeland       
•    Avante at Ocala, Ocala            
•    Orange City Nursing and Rehab Center, Debary      
•    Hialeah Shores Nursing and Rehabilitation Center, Miami,               
•    Avante at Leesburg, Leesburg            
•    Cypress Palms Enhanced Assisted Living, Largo       
•    Concordia Manor, St. Petersburg      
•    Seminole Pavilion Rehabilitation & Nursing Services, Seminole      
•    Florida Living Nursing Center, Apopka          
•    Manorcare of Sarasota, Sarasota      
•    Colonial Lakes Health Care, Winter Garden
•    Oaktree Healthcare, South Daytona
•    Avante Villa at Jacksonville Beach, Jacksonville Beach
•    Deerfield Beach Health and Rehab Center, Pompano Beach
•    Westchester Gardens Rehabilitation Care Center     Clearwater      
•    West Gables Health Care Center, Miami        
•    The Residence at Timber Pines, Spring Hill   
•    Parklands Rehabilitation & Nursing Center, Gainesville    
•    Morselife, West Palm Beach

ABOUT FLORIDA HEALTH CARE ASSOCIATION  
Celebrating its 60th Anniversary in 2014, Florida Health Care Association (FHCA) is a federation that serves almost 1,000 members and represents more than 500 long term care facilities that provide skilled nursing, post-acute and sub-acute care, short-term rehab, assisted living and other services to the frail elderly and individuals with disabilities in Florida. The mission of FHCA is to advance the quality of services, image, professional development and financial stability of its members. As Florida's first and largest advocacy organization for long term care providers and the elderly they serve, the Association has worked diligently since 1954 to assist its members with continuously improving quality of care and quality of life for the state’s growing elder care population. For more information about Florida Health Care Association, visit [url=http://www.fhca.org]http://www.fhca.org[/url].  

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