For Immediate Release
February 10, 2015

Contact: Rebecca Reid
410-212-3843

Texas Long Term Care Providers Announce
“Commitment to Care” Initiative to Achieve
Highest Standard of Care for State’s Elderly

Nursing Home Providers and Caregivers Launch Strategic Approach
To Effect Continuous Quality Care Improvements

 (Austin, TX) – The Texas Health Care Association (THCA) announced its statewide Commitment to Care initiative today, marking an effort by nursing home providers to chart a strategic course to improve care quality for seniors, promote transparency and collaboration among providers and stakeholders on the goal of establishing Texas as a leader in eldercare.

“Texas nursing home providers value the public trust, respect taxpayers’ demand for efficient and productive use of public funds, and share the goal that nursing home care in Texas meets the expectations of health consumers, elected officials, and all Texas citizens,” said Kevin Warren, President of THCA.  “Commitment to Care marks a unified effort to strengthen the delivery of long term care across Texas by reporting quality improvements made by nursing home providers, identifying issues that result in unmet care expectations, and partnering with senior care stakeholders to advance strategies that facilitate the provision of compassionate and effective long term care services.”

Warren noted that taking part in the Commitment to Care is designed to enhance care performance through adoption of four core principles:

• Improve workforce stability
• Improve clinical outcomes and care coordination
• Improve survey performance results
• Promote policies that enhance the quality care needs of the frail and elderly.

Initial efforts of the Commitment to Care include the completion of a quarterly survey by participating THCA members on current clinical priorities, successes and barriers to improvement, and access to available resources designed to assist long term care providers.

“Findings from survey responses will be used on an ongoing basis to direct efforts with respect to the development of improvement initiatives, dissemination of best practices, and sharing with participating stakeholders to measure progress and seek input for future efforts,” said Warren.

The Association is creating a new position of Director of Clinical and Quality Services who will manage the ongoing progress, identify areas where providers note challenges to improving specific quality measures, and share results with input from advocates and stakeholders.

”Commitment to Care is not a short-lived campaign but rather an ongoing, continuous effort to make consistent strides in the delivery of eldercare,” said Warren. “Public policy deeply and broadly impacts the long term care delivery system. We appreciate the opportunity to work with our legislators to minimize the challenges providers face in their mission to improve the care delivered to frail elderly Texans.”

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To learn more about Commitment to Care, please visit txhca.org/quality-care/commitment-to-care. For ongoing Twitter updates and information, follow @TXHCA and the #Commit2Care hashtag.

About THCA

Founded in 1950, the Texas Health Care Association (THCA) is the largest long-term care association in Texas. THCA’s membership is comprised skilled nursing facilities (SNFs), specialized rehabilitation facilities and assisted living facilities in Texas. These facilities provide comprehensive, around-the-clock nursing care for chronically ill or short-term residents of all ages, along with rehabilitative and specialized medical programs. THCA also represents more than 190 long-term care businesses that provide products and services to the state’s approximately 2,850 nursing homes and assisted living facilities.