VA Bedford unannounced CLC survey reports zero findings
BEDFORD, Massachusetts--VA Bedford Healthcare System received a commendation from Department of Veterans Affairs this week for having no identified deficiencies in its Community Living Center (CLC) on the most recent unannounced survey, conducted December 2021.
The facility was also commended for having numerous best practices that can be shared with other CLCs across the Veterans Health Administration.
The purpose of VA’s CLC unannounced survey program is to identify if facilities are at risk and take action, educate about care in CLCs, facilitate the transformation of the culture of care, and identify best practices in CLCs.
“Having zero clinical findings on an unannounced survey is rare. In a typical survey year, only a handful of CLCs achieve a finding-free survey,” Kelley Saindon, Geriatric and Extended Care Service Line Manager said. “We are one of the largest CLCs in the nation and this is an oversight body whose job is to dig in and scrutinize every action, policy, instruction, and process to ensure we’re meeting quality standards.”
VA uses an external organization to survey its CLCs using the same standards required by Medicare for civilian nursing homes. VA’s survey team looks at many aspects of life in the nursing home including, but not limited to:
- The care of residents and the processes used to give that care
- How the staff and residents interact
- The nursing home environment
Surveyors also review the residents' clinical records, interview residents and family members, as well as caregivers and administrative staff.
According to Saindon, it’s taken about three years of steadfast, hard work by everyone involved in VA Bedford’s CLC to improve to this point.
“We implemented good, solid, sustainable quality improvement processes to improve not only quality, but also the Veteran experience. This is one of our foundational services at VA Bedford that we’re most proud of and we’re going to continue to strive to become a geriatric center of excellence.”
Around 9,000 Veterans rely on the 134 VA-operated nursing homes each day to help meet their skilled nursing and personal care needs. CLCs offer residents a range of services, including help with activities of daily living such as bathing and getting dressed, medical care, and, in some facilities like VA Bedford, mental health care and end of life care for terminal illnesses.
Veterans rely on VA to ensure that the services provided in its CLCs are high quality and help maintain Veterans’ quality of life. Unannounced inspections, along with scores on clinical quality measures and nurse staffing levels are the three data sources VA uses to assess the quality of care provided in VA CLCs.
“This is a tremendous accomplishment and all staff within the CLC and every supporting department should be commended on their contributions to this outstanding survey,” Joan Clifford, VA Bedford Healthcare System Director said.
VA quality of care standards are publicly reported on VA’s Access to Care website, which is updated at the end of each quarter.