Improving Quality
and Financial Results

primaris flame Nursing Homes

As Missouri’s QIO, Primaris works with nursing homes across the state on a variety of patient safety projects. Patients and families can use Medicare's Nursing Home Compare Web site to see how nursing homes in their communities are performing on publicly reported quality measures. Quality of care counts, as does accountability.

Primaris knows the daily challenges nursing homes face. Tackling these challenges requires a team approach.

Primaris offers a variety of free clinical tools and resources available for these and other topics. Anyone may download, print, share and use these tools.

Staff stability is a challenge in any healthcare setting. For nursing home administrators, help is available. A variety of tips are available on this subject.

We have also compiled a list of useful Web links for nursing homes.

Learn more about CMS' QAPI program.

Prevent falls - without restraints or personal alarms

In April 2012, Stratis Health -- our sister QIO in Minnesota -- hosted a webinar on better-quality fall prevention strategies in nursing homes. The presenter was Sue Ann Guildermann of Empira, a consortium of 27 skilled nursing facilities in that state.

Ms. Guilderman has more than 35 years of experience in long-term care organizations. Her presentation details alternate interventions for keeping residents safe from falls without using restraints or personal alarms.

Resources:

Setting up a Wound Care Program - Webinar

In March 2012, Stratis Health - our sister QIO in Minnesota - hosted a 60-minute educational webinar on effective wound-care strategies. Presenting was Jeri Ann Lundgren, a national wound-care consultant and director of both Incontinent Services at Pathway Health Series and Clinical Services at Gulf South Medical Supply (both organizations are in Minnesota.

Ms. Lundgren's presentation can be used as an outline to homes who want to more effectively use their wound-care nurses and generally make patients healthier and safer.

Resources: