Mac Senior Living receives a deficiency free survey for the 2nd year

McIntosh Senior Living nursing home was visited this week by the Minnesota Department of Health State Survey team out of Bemidji and received a deficiency free survey for the second year in a row. 

A facility, such as McIntosh Senior Living depends on a quality staff and management team to be able to continuously maintain quality of life living for their residents. “I am so proud of each and every one of my staff members. They definitely provide quality care and our hard work has paid off“, said Sharlene Knutson, Administrator at McIntosh Senior Living. 

The survey is conducted as the Minnesota DHS comes into a managed facility to evaluate the quality of care and services provided to the residents. They also survey on the appropriateness of the facility’s building, equipment, staffing, policies and procedures.

Some of the criteria for a survey includes:

 * Surveys are always unannounced and typically conducted over a period of several days. Surveys can be conducted on weekdays, evenings and nights as well as on weekends and holidays.

 * Surveyors are health care professionals such as registered nurses, dietitians, and sanitarians.

 * A survey report is sent to the nursing home after each survey.

 * If standards are not met, then the nursing home must submit a plan of correction to the Division. This plan of correction must include information on how and when the problem was corrected, as well as how it will be prevented in the future. Facilities have the right to appeal any deficiencies found during a survey through an informal dispute resolution process.

 * In some cases, a follow-up survey is made to verify that corrections have been made.

 * Surveys look at the care provided to a sample of residents.

 * Surveys only reflect a snapshot in time.

 * Because surveys are conducted at different times, by different teams of surveyors for each nursing home, it represents just one source of information to use in choosing a nursing home. Always visit the nursing home to evaluate services first hand.

 When choosing a nursing home, it is important to review the survey findings of the facilities that you are looking into, to help you make an informed choice when considering a nursing home.

 However, it is important to use more than one piece of information to make the decision of which nursing home is right for the care of a family member or friend. Consumers should use this survey findings information as an aid to, and not a substitute for, an in person visit to the nursing home under consideration. Visits to nursing facilities being considered and discussion with friends, family and staff members prior to deciding which facility will best meet your needs are essential.

McIntosh Senior Living Staff should be congratulated on a great accomplishment as this is the 2nd deficiency free survey in a row.