Resources for Selecting a Nursing Home
When selecting a nursing home or other long term care facility, consult additional resources to make an informed choice. The following are resources available to view various pieces of information by provider; by consumer priorities; by health care condition; and by local agency:
• “Nursing Home Compare” - http://www.medicare.gov/NHCompare (provides comprehensive data on each nursing home; operated by the federal government)
• “Nursing Home Selection”- http://www.health.state.mn.us/nhreportcard/ (searches for nursing homes based on the criteria most important to consumer; website co-sponsored by Minnesota’s DHS and MDH departments)
• “Nursing Facility Rates and Policy Division” information through the DHS available at: http://www.dhs.state.mn.us/main/idcplg?IdcService=GET_DYNAMIC_CONVERSION&RevisionSelectionMethod=LatestReleased&dDocName=id_000268 (information on nursing homes by county, city, and provider name, plus other resources)
• Minnesota Help Info - http://longtermcarechoices.minnesotahelp.info/ (guides user through a process of selecting a long term care option based on various factors)
• Minnesota Health Scores - http://www.mnhealthscores.org/?p=home (allows a search based on medical condition)
• Long Term Care Living (Consumer information on nursing home and assisted living providers) - http://www.longtermcareliving.com/
• Eldercare Locator - http://www.eldercare.gov/Eldercare.NET/Public/Home.aspx (helps find local agencies to assist in getting services)
TIP: Do Your Homework. Not all facilities are equal. Consult the following resources to find survey, complaint and investigation information on facilities prior to choosing a care provider:
• Investigation of Complaints by the MDH at: http://www.health.state.mn.us/divs/fpc/directory/surveyapp/provcompselect.cfm
• “Medicare Certified Home Health Agency Survey Information” periodically conducted by MDH at: http://www.health.state.mn.us/divs/fpc/directory/hhasurveyoutput.cfm
• “Assisted Living Reviews” periodically conducted by MDH at: http://www.health.state.mn.us/divs/fpc/profinfo/cms/als/alsreviewresults.html
• “Class A” Home Care Provider Survey results conducted by MDH at: http://www.health.state.mn.us/divs/fpc/directory/hhasurveyoutput.cfm
• “Class F” Home Care Provider Survey results conducted by MDH at: http://www.health.state.mn.us/divs/fpc/profinfo/cms/alhcp/alhcpsurveyresults.htm
• Contact the MDH Compliance Monitoring Division to request a summary report of deficiencies found during surveys from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Online Survey Certification and Reporting System (OSCAR), called “Oscar Reports” at:
o Minnesota Department of Health - Compliance Monitoring Division
P.O. Box 64900
St. Paul, Minnesota 55164-0900
• “Annual Quality Improvement Report on the Nursing Home Survey Process” at: http://www.health.state.mn.us/divs/fpc/2007QINHreport.pdf
This website is not intended to provide legal advice as each situation is different and specific factual information must be obtained before an attorney is able to assess the legal questions relevant to your situation.
If you or a loved one has suffered an injury or abuse in a nursing home or other care facility that serves the elderly in Minnesota, please contact our firm for a free consultation and information regarding the obligations of the facility and your rights as a resident or concerned family member. To contact attorney Kenneth LaBore, directly please send an email to klabore@prslegal.com, or call Ken at 612-767-7503.