GREAT NECK, NY – For the families of millions of Americans who spend time in a nursing home each year, selecting the right facility for a loved one can be challenging. To help family members make informed decisions, US News and World Report has issued its 2011 report, “America’s Best Nursing Homes” -- and the North Shore-LIJ Health System’s Orzac Center for Extended Care (CECR) in Valley Stream and Stern Family CECR in Manhasset have made the prestigious list, earning “five-star” quality ratings.

The Orzac CECR was among 18 nursing homes nationwide to earn a coveted spot on the US News 2011 Honor Roll, receiving four straight quarters of perfect five-star ratings from the US Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) in three key areas in which facilities are evaluated. This distinction places Orzac in the top one percent of nursing homes for quality nationally, according to the report.

US News and World Report analyzed more than 15,500 nursing homes in the country. The rankings build on data and ratings found on Nursing Home Compare, a federal consumer web site created by CMS. The federal government rates nursing homes in the following areas:

• health inspection results (an 180 item check list), including onsite visits by trained inspectors;
• nurse staffing ratios, a rating that is adjusted to how sick patients are; and
• CMS quality measures, such as how well nursing home residents are able to dress and feed themselves, or how well staff prevents and treats pressure ulcers.

In New York State, US News and World Report reviewed 635 licensed nursing homes. Of that number, 91 had a five-star quality rating; placing the Stern and Orzac CECRs among the 14 percent top-performing nursing homes in the state.

“It is an outstanding achievement for both nursing homes to receive top honors, assuring that our patients are receiving the highest level of care. The five star rating speaks not only to the state-of-the-art medical care, but to the compassion and commitment of our staff,” said Maureen McClusky, executive director of the Stern and Orzac CECR facilities. “The health system is extremely proud of the staff at Orzac for earning a place on the US News Honor Roll – the gold medal for nursing homes.”

“By making the US News Honor Roll, Orzac joins an elite group of nursing care facilities across the country, which is a testament to the dedication of staff members across all disciplines who work together as a team on behalf of our patients,” said Barbara Southard, RN, deputy executive director of the Orzac CECR. “Orzac staff members also embrace a culture of caring that starts the moment someone walks through our doors, throughout a patient’s stay, whether it’s for short-term rehabilitation or long-term residency.”

“Nursing homes vary in quality of care and services they provide to their residents,” Ms. McClusky said. “Reviewing health inspection results, staffing data and quality measure data are three ways to give the consumer a snap shot of the care individual skilled nursing facilities provide.”

Ms. McClusky pointed out that the five-star quality rating system is not a substitute for visiting a nursing home. However, the data can provide consumers with important information, help them compare nursing homes by topics they consider most important, and educate them on questions they should ask when visiting a nursing home.

Also in February, Stern and Orzac CECR's received perfect deficiency-free surveys by The Joint Commission, an independent, nonprofit organization that accredits and certifies more than 18,000 health care organizations and programs in the United States.

Both the Stern and Orzac Centers were established in 1989. The Stern CECR – located on the campus of North Shore University Hospital, is a 256-bed facility. The Orzac CECR, located on the grounds of Franklin Hospital, is a 120-bed facility. Both specialize in short-term rehabilitation, skilled nursing and extended care services.

For more information on the US News & World Report, “America’s Best Nursing Homes,” visit: www.usnews.com

To contact the Orzac CECR, call: 516-256-6700 or the Stern Family CECR, at 516-562-8000, or go to www.northshorelij.com.

Contact: Betty Olt
(516) 465-2645
bolt@nshs.edu