Our focus is not only Government and State compliancy. We are very interested in improving the quality of patient care in skilled nursing in Sacramento,” said Rhonda Rongo, University Post Acute Rehab’s director of nursing.
Sacrament, CA (PRWEB) September 11, 2015
Sacramento skilled nursing facility University Post Acute Rehab earned the California Department of Public Health’s (CDPH) highest score after an annual quality and accountability assessment. CDPH ensures patient safety and quality care in skilled nursing facilities through complaint investigations and annual onsite surveys. “Each year, CDPH staff conducts approximately 1,350 on-site inspections of nursing homes and responds to approximately 5,000 complaints and 5,300 events reported by facilities,” said California CDPH Care Quality Deputy Director Jean Iacino.
University Post Acute Rehab is one of hundreds of Sacramento-area facilities that offers physical, occupational and speech therapies; but it is one of very few that received CDPH’s zero deficiency status. According to CDPH’s website (https://www.cdph.ca.gov), University Post Acute Rehab earned the perfect mark by having flawless performance in: the quality of care and treatment given to patients; patient neglect or abuse; and environmental safety. But while CDPH measures a facility’s recordkeeping and cleanliness, they lack a grading system that tracks overall consumer satisfaction with a facility. Iacino simply added, “CDPH does not measure or track trends in customer service.”
Consequently, maintaining customer service is an endeavor managers of a skilled nursing facility can choose to take on themselves. “Our focus is not only Government and State compliancy. We are very interested in improving the quality of patient care in skilled nursing in Sacramento,” said Rhonda Rongo, University Post Acute Rehab’s director of nursing.
Rongo, a health expert with more than 20 years of experience, works in an industry that has seen radical, nationwide reforms due to an array of problems including insurance fraud, elder abuse, and lack of preventative care measures. Her 56-bed skilled nursing facility primarily caters to patients recovering from orthopedic surgeries like hip and knee replacements. And with more than a decade’s worth of skilled nursing experience, Rongo said she’s seen the benefits of customizing patient care firsthand at the establishment she oversees.
Rongo said, “As it applies to healing, there is a tremendous difference between a patient who is able to receive more one-on-one, personalized care versus a patient who is given the same regimented therapy and care plan as other patients. When a patient feels more confidence in his or her care providers, that patient is more likely to continue their healing routine at home resulting in a higher chance of recovering with less future medical intervention.”
University Post Acute Rehab’s internal initiative to improve a patient’s experience in skilled nursing isn’t limited to providing a tailored experience on the healthcare side. The company’s motto of exceptional hospitality extends to the entire workforce including doctors, nurses, therapists and office workers.
Seventy-three-year-old Linda Marcellino first admitted to University Post Acute Rehab in 2014 after a hip surgery. Marcellino said her surgeon highly endorsed the facility’s therapy program. “The alternative was to go home, but who would care for me? My daughter toured on my behalf the first time while I was in the hospital. She liked it because it was clean with no foul smell and the people who worked there were very nice,” Marcellino said.
The retired administrative assistant confessed that in the beginning her family, including her young grandson, were slightly skeptical about skilled nursing. However, they were quickly put at ease within moments of her arrival. “This [University Post Acute Rehab] was the first medical establishment where everyone actively made an effort to get to know my interests and not just my diagnosis. For example, they asked me how I liked my eggs in the morning and prepared them to my liking. The therapy ordered me the equipment I needed and assigned me exercises that I believe helped me heal faster. Every detail was taken care of so I could focus on getting better. The care exceeded my expectations.”
For more information about skilled nursing in California, including license information and survey deficiencies, visit the California Department of Public health’s website: https://hfcis.cdph.ca.gov