Providing quality services in nursing homes is the business of the nursing home community. This community includes nurses, administrators, physicians, regional directors, social workers, activity directors, health care assistants, physical therapists, maintenance staff, and dietary managers. At the center of their work is the nursing home resident. Their common interest in the resident extends to family members and friends who make up the resident's social network. Other stakeholders intensely connected to and interested in the nursing home

community are Legislators, consumer advocates, Ombudsmen, local media, emergency management offices, hospitals, hospices, and regulatory agencies like the Agency for Health Care Administration, the Department of Health, and the Department of Elder Affairs.

The purpose of FHCA's Quality Improvement site is two-fold:

• Help nursing home owners, administrators, and staff learn about and take advantage of the best of the many nursing home quality improvement movements, resources, and tools.
   
• Support nursing home owners, administrators, and staff in their desire to provide residents safe, effective, customer-centered, and equitable care and services within the confines of an often punitive regulatory environment.

Rather than defining long term care quality by the facility's success in sticking to the government's 1,000-page list of regulations, we borrow Bernie Dana's (Developing a Quality Management System, 2004) definition of quality:

Long Term Care Quality: "The totality of service features and characteristics that meet or exceed customer needs and expectations."

Additionally, it is helpful to distinguish between these concepts:

Quality Assurance: This is "expected quality"; the must-haves usually reflected in federal and state regulations.
Quality Improvement: This is a daily approach which focuses nursing home team members on high standards of care and services which caters to individual residents. Quality improvement often builds on the regulatory framework.

National Nursing Home Quality Crosswalk (Members Only)
The best place to start for those wanting to understand and compare the different national nursing home quality initiatives and assess their value to your facility.

Quality Foundation
Established in 2001, FHCA's Quality appointees serve as consultants and mentors, sharing lessons learned and best practices.

2010 U.S. Census Information for Long Term Care Facilities

Tools and Resources
A fluid collection of web sites, checklists, and guidelines focused on nursing home quality management issues.

Reports and Publications
Academic and government articles related to quality management aspects and challenges.

Recognizing Contributions
These award opportunities provide a venue for encouraging and recognizing personal bests.