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Platinum Sponsors
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AHCA’s Quality First Initiative
American Health Care Association (AHCA) members have a history of striving for quality and performance excellence. In July 2002, this nationwide trend gained significant momentum with the launching of the profession-wide initiative called Quality First. This is a voluntary quality improvement initiative, where representatives of AHCA member facilities are asked to sign a pledge. Both residential care and nursing facility providers can participate.
The link below provides more information on the AHCA Quality First Program. http://www.ahca.org/quality/qf_faqs.htm.
Once a facility has taken the Quality First pledge, it may embark on any number of QI projects to meet the program’s objectives. One such way is to apply for AHCA/NCAL’s Quality Award, modeled after criteria from the Malcolm Baldridge National Quality Award, the nation’s premier recognition for quality achievement. AHCA’s award is designed to support continuous quality improvement efforts in the long term care profession by promoting quality awareness and education, and to recognize special achievements.
We would like to see member facilities participate in AHCA’s Quality First program and its prestigious award process. The first level is very attainable by any home in good survey standing with a good survey history in the past year and who are working on at least one QI project. For more information on the awards, please go to http://www.ahca.org/quality/awardinfo.htm
Maine Health Care Association members may contact Tammy Rolfe at trolfe@mehca.org to assist with the AHCA Quality First pledging process.
Web Based Resources
Web-based resources are available to all nursing home and residential care providers. These sites provide free information on improving depression, pressure ulcers, restraints, pain, culture change, end of life care and many other quality of care issues.
Northeast Health Care Foundation: The Medicare Quality Improvement Organization (QIO)
Home Page: http://www.nhcqf.org/QI_Services/NursingHomes/nursing_home.htm
Handouts, Tools and Resources to assist in improving Nursing Home Quality of Care and Resident Quality of Life: http://www.nhcqf.org/QI_Services/NursingHomes/nursing_home_Tools.htm
STAR Tool – Setting Targets - Achieving Results:
Contacts: http://www.nhcqf.org/QI_Services/NursingHomes/NHQI_Team.htm
MEDQIC: A Medicare sponsored resource website for quality improvement
Home Page: http://www.medqic.org/dcs/ContentServer?pagename=Medqic/MQPage/Homepage
Nursing Home Specific Page: http://www.medqic.org/dcs/ContentServer?cid=1089815966986&pagename=Medqic/Content/ParentShellTemplate&parentName=Setting&c=MQParents
NHIFT (pronounced NIFTY) Tool: The Nursing Home Improvement Feedback Tool) is a free, computer-based, process-of-care data collection tool:
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