Posted: 12/8/04
By MaryHelen Swanson
On Sunday afternoon, Oct. 10, a team of evaluators from Duluth descended, unannounced, upon Hillcrest Health Care Center in Rush City to do an annual survey of conditions as required by the Minnesota Department of Health.
The team spent four days at the nursing home and found only five deficiencies, none of them having anything to do with the quality of care, noted Hillcrest administrator Angela Holmes.
The five were isolated incidents, such as documentation, training and education issues. Holmes noted that the Duluth team usually finds an average of 17 deficiencies at any given site. In the entire state of Minnesota, Holmes said, the average is nine.
As is the case with these annual surveys, the nursing home is given a date when the cited deficiencies must be in compliance. Hillcrest had until Nov. 22 to correct the five issues.
In a second unannounced visit on Monday, Nov. 29, the team found everything to be in compliance.
ěThatís absolutely wonderful, ě said Holmes. ěThatís to the credit of our caregivers,î she said, adding that a positive survey reinforces the quality of services to the residents. Holmes said she is very proud of the staff which includes about 30 licensed nurses and nursing assistants. But Holmes said the credit doesnít stop with them. In the annual survey, she said, all departments are considered.
There have been many pats on the back, Holmes said, but the greatest reward is in being recognized by the survey team for the great job that is being done every day by the staff.
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