Information for Consumers

Deciding on a nursing home is never easy. However, you can get objective, free information on the quality of health care provided by nursing homes all across New York State and the country. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has established a means for publicly reporting quality data for nursing homes in order to enable the public to make better, more informed health care choices. Referred to as Nursing Home Compare, providers and consumers can view the public data on CMS' Web site, www.medicare.gov.

The information collected for Nursing Home Compare pertains to resident well-being, and encompasses such things as activities of daily living, mood, communication and behavior symptoms. These "quality measures" are updated quarterly. To learn more about the nursing home quality measures and IPRO's role in the Nursing Home Quality Initiative, visit projects.ipro.org/index/nhqi.

In addition to the Web site, CMS provides a helpline at 1-800-MEDICARE to answer consumer questions. Reviewing comparative quality of care data should only be one step in the decision-making process. Consumers are encouraged to speak with their health care providers, friends and family, visit nursing homes, and ask questions directly to the nursing home staff.

Additional Resources for Consumers