For Immediate Release

CONTACT: Cara Gustafson
(561) 797-8267

Texas Long-Term Care Facilities Receive National Recognition
Nursing homes recognized for improving quality of care despite COVID-19 and chronic state underfunding

AUSTIN – Five Texas long-term care facilities have earned national recognition for their commitment and dedication to improving the quality of care for their residents and patients in long-term care from the American Health Care Association and National Center for Assisted Living (AHCA/NCAL) National Quality Award Program.

Advanced Rehab & Healthcare of Vernon (Vernon, TX) has been awarded the 2021 Silver Award, while Chisholm Trail Nursing & Rehab (Lockhart, TX), Forum Parkway Health & Rehabilitation (Bedford, TX), Kruse Village Senior Living Community (Brenham, TX), and the Heights of Gonzales (Gonzales, TX) have been awarded 2021 Bronze Awards.

“We congratulate the facilities and their dedicated staffs in achieving this special recognition despite the decades-long state funding challenges alongside a fierce, months-long battle against COVID-19,” said Kevin Warren, President and CEO of the Texas Health Care Association. “Funding from the state for Texas nursing homes is among the lowest in the nation, and that dynamic continues to fuel a staffing crisis that complicates the delivery of care that our most vulnerable Texans deserve,” Warren continued.

“Texas nursing homes continue to do more with less, but we look forward to continuing our conversations with the Texas Legislature about how to adequately fund and look after our vulnerable Texans for decades to come,” concluded Warren.

Based on the National Institute of Standards and Technology’s Baldrige Performance Excellence Program, the AHCA/NCAL’s National Quality Award Program challenges member providers to achieve performance excellence through three progressive levels — bronze, silver, and gold.

Providers begin the quality improvement process at the bronze level, where they develop an organizational profile with fundamental performance elements such as vision and mission statements, and key strengths and challenges. Bronze applicants must also demonstrate their ability to implement a performance improvement system. Trained examiners review each application to determine if the center has met the demands of the criteria. At the silver level, members develop and demonstrate effective approaches that help improve organizational performance and health care outcomes.

Recipients of the 2021 Silver Award may now apply for the Gold – Excellence in Quality Award by further developing comprehensive strategies that meet the demands of the full Health Care Criteria for Performance Excellence. AHCA/NCAL will announce the 2021 Gold — Excellence in Quality award recipients in the coming months. The National Quality Award Program is sponsored by AHCA/NCAL associate business members: HealthCap, NRC Health, Matrix Care and Prevail.

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