DataPoint: Top 10 Nursing Home Deficiencies

The top four deficiencies in the state accounted for 20% of all reported nursing home deficiencies when results of the most recent periodic survey for each home in the state are analyzed. In all, 21 different citations made at least one top 10 New York State regional deficiency list. Ensuring safety from hazardous conditions proved to be a common reoccurring citation for nursing homes throughout the state, appearing as a top 10 deficiency in all seven regions. Four other citations (food safety, infection control, effective care planning, and housekeeping) appeared as top 10 deficiencies in six of the seven regions.

The top statewide deficiency was linked to food safety. Food safety represented 6% of all reported nursing home deficiencies in the state and was represented in each region’s top 10 list, other than in the Buffalo region. Food safety also represented the largest single deficiency in a region by accounting for 11.7% of the Westchester region’s total deficiency count.

Eight of the top 10 statewide deficiencies remained the same during the most recent deficiency update when compared to the top 10 deficiencies report of September 2015. Drug/medication regimen became a much more relevant citation during this update. It went from outside of the state’s top 10 list to the fifth most relevant citation, representing 4.4% of all New York State nursing home citations. The regional and statewide analysis is based on health surveys performed in the 15-month period ending in September 2016. The top 10 report can be found here. The average number of deficiencies by region is available here.

Contact: Ken Allison, kallison@leadingageny.org, 518-867-8820