GREENWICH — A company that ranks nursing houses not too long ago gave excessive marks to the Nathaniel Witherell, after it acquired a downgrade earlier this 12 months from one other company that tracks nursing houses and residential amenities for the aged.
The U.S. Information & World Report rated the Witherell as a “Finest Nursing Residence” for 2021-22. The corporate ranks faculties, hospitals, monetary establishments, automobiles and different shopper decisions utilizing knowledge compiled by its analysts.
In keeping with an announcement from the town-owned and -operated facility, the Witherell earned the best attainable rating for each its short-term rehabilitation and long-term care providers. Of the 13,175 nursing houses and 13,500 short-term rehabilitation facilities evaluated throughout the nation by the U.S. Information & World Report, the Witherell joined simply 1,063 nursing houses and 1,651 rehab amenities that had been designated as “excessive performing.”
“We’re honored to once more be ranked among the many prime nursing houses and short-term rehabilitation amenities within the nation,” John Mastronardi, government director of the ability, stated in an announcement. “This recognition displays the extraordinary dedication, constant top quality of care and compassion and kindness that our workforce provides to our short-term sufferers and long-term residents.”
The workers has labored on methods to stop falls by residents — a number one reason behind damage among the many aged — via the years, and the efforts have been paying off, Mastronardi stated. The Respiratory Schooling Program on the facility has additionally been decreasing admissions to the hospital by serving to residents with respiration points, he stated.
Affected person security was prioritized on this 12 months’s rankings, in keeping with the Witherell, and that features COVID-19 vaccination charges amongst workers. The Witherell’s workers vaccination charge is 98 %, in keeping with its administration.
The Nathaniel Witherell house was additionally named a “Finest Nursing Residence” for 2020-21 by U.S. Information & World Report.
The power was downgraded from 5 stars to 3 stars by one other rating group, the Facilities for Medicare and Medicaid Providers. That authorities company gives rankings and data on nursing houses, and it gave a decrease ranking to the Greenwich facility this 12 months.
In an announcement, Mastronardi stated the decrease rating was because of provide chain points and the COVID-19 pandemic.
“The well being, security and well-being of the residents in our care are our first priorities,” he stated.
“In 2021, our 5-star ranking, conferred by the Facilities for Medicare and Medicaid Providers, was lowered to 3-stars, based mostly on a number of check-ins performed in the course of the COVID epidemic, at which period signage inside our facility from one unit to a different and numbers of ‘match exams’ of N-95 masks had been deemed inadequate.” Mastronardi stated.
“On the time, due to extreme provide chain points, ‘fit-test kits’ had been exhausting to come back by for a brief spell. Nonetheless, all of that has now been remedied. Our plan of correction was submitted to and accepted by CMS and we stay up for improved rankings within the coming months,” he stated.
Mastronardi additionally famous that for the primary time in 9 years, the Witherell was not shedding cash. The city administration has been looking for to stem losses from the town-owned operation for years.
