Seeing Stars

Seems the star-rating system used by CMS to rank nursing homes has some rough edges:

Many nursing home officials—and consumer advocates—assail the star system for rating the facilities.

Administrators say the ratings are too simplistic. Advocates fear some five-star homes are overrated and may give consumers false comfort.

Wendy Meltzer of Illinois Citizens for Better Care said she thinks the star ratings "are going to kill people."

Self-reported data might be part of the problem, as are lack of electronic medical records...

Oh, wait, electronic medical records? Why might nursing homes, with our sickest and oldest patients, need those? (Taking tongue out of cheek now...)

-Wes