BUCKHANNON, WV- St. Joseph's Hospital Nursing Care Facility received a five-star quality rating from Medicare, the highest rating possible. The Quality Rating system was created by Medicare to help consumers and their families compare the care at nursing homes more easily. Ratings are taken from three sources of data which include health inspections, staffing and quality measures.

The health inspections look at all major aspects of care in a nursing home adding up to about 180 different items. The inspection is done by a trained team of objective inspectors who check on the quality of care, inspect medical records and talk with residents about their care. The staffing rating is determined by the ratio of staff to residents, the number of trained nurses on staff and the rate of staff turnover. Quality measures provide an in-depth look at how well each nursing home performs on ten important aspects of care. These are national measures, used in all nursing homes, and include the residents’ health, physical functioning, mental status, and general well being.

“Our staff is dedicated to our residents and are committed to providing them with the highest quality, compassionate care possible,” said Donna Lewis, Director of Nursing for Extended Services. “We are extremely proud of our Nursing Care Facility and are pleased to earn this five-star rating. This rating ensures our community that our quality of care is first rate.”