Nursing home administrators' opinions of the nursing home compare web site.
OBJECTIVE
In November of 2002 the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services publicly reported on a national basis the quality of nursing homes on the Nursing Home Compare (NHC) Web site. This study examines administrators' opinions of this initiative and whether it has fostered quality improvement.


METHODS
Data used in this investigation come from a questionnaire mailed to the administrators of 477 nursing homes. Three hundred and twenty-four responses were received, giving a response rate of 68%. Facilities were located in four states: Connecticut, Maryland, Pennsylvania, and Tennessee.


RESULTS
Ninety percent of the administrators examined the NHC Web site, 51% stated that they would be using the information for quality improvement in the future, and 33% stated that they were using NHC information in quality-improvement initiatives.


CONCLUSIONS
For NHC to influence quality as it is intended, nursing home quality-of-care initiatives are essential. Study results show that administrators are generally accepting of the NHC Web site, and some are using the information in quality initiatives.
Castle
Nicholas G
NG
Health Policy and Management, University of Pittsburgh, A649 Crabtree Hall, 130 DeSoto Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA. castlen@pitt.edu
D006270:Health Facility Administrators / Q000523:psychology*; D020407:Internet; D009735:Nursing Homes / Q000592:standards*; D011787:Quality of Health Care; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014481:United States