http://goo.gl/hQuDv5
The New York Times recently analyzed data on the site and compared the information to actual inspection results at nursing homes throughout the U.S. The newspaper confirmed what many had long suspected: Because the website relies heavily on unverified, self-reported data from nursing homes, some of the worst care facilities are given the highest overall scores for quality.
The homes can self-report data on staffing — a major factor in patient care — and on so-called quality measures that can be easily manipulated. That, in turn, influences the home’s overall rating, which also includes the facilities’ actual inspection results.
The site’s reliance on self-reported data has been a known problem for years. In fact, the Affordable Care Act addressed the problem by requiring the feds to confirm staffing data through payroll records. But today, four years later, CMS has yet to comply with that law.