---

Once again, the Nevada State Veterans Home (NSVH) recently received two distinguished awards. NSVH again received the highest rating possible, a 5-Star rating, by the Centers for Medicaid & Medicare Services (CMS)! Additionally, the home’s administrator and staff also again, received the American College of Health Care Administrators’ 2018 Eli Pick Facility Leadership Award!

The CMS 5-Star rating is designed to help consumers, their families and caregivers compare nursing homes more easily. There is one overall rating for each nursing home ranging from the lowest of 1-Star, up to the best score of 5-Stars. The rating is based on three major factors. The first is health inspections. The rating reviews inspection results from a facility’s last three years. The second factor is staffing. It reviews the number of hours of care provided on average to each resident’s needs. For example, a nursing home with resident who had more severe needs would be expected to have more nursing staff that a facility where resident needs are not as high. The third factor is what is known as Quality Measures which consists of 11 different physical and clinical measures for nursing home residents. The rating now also includes information about the use of antipsychotic medications in both long-stay and short-stay residents. The Quality Measures rating offers information about how well a nursing home is caring for the physical and clinical needs of a resident.

Receiving the 2018 Eli Pick Leadership Award is another significant honor for NSVH Administrator Linda Gelinger, staff and team. Fewer than 11 percent of facilities nationwide qualify for the Eli Pick Leadership Award. This year, 351 administrators in 45 states were awarded the facility leadership award nationally. Eligibility is based on three years of skilled nursing facility survey data, Including, the Health, Fire Safety, and Complaint surveys and the top quartile performance on designated Quality Measures. A criterion includes an 85% or greater facility occupancy and three year avoidance of a Special Focus Facility Status. The award is presented each year in memory of the late Eli Pick, who was dedicated to advancing professionalism and leadership in long term care.

Congratulations to the team for continued outstanding service and care. Our veterans and their families deserve no less than the absolute best!