Bethesda Ranks in the TOP 5% of Minnesota Nursing Homes for Care Quality

Willmar, Minn. – Bethesda has recently been recognized as a top-ranked skilled nursing facility in the state of Minnesota. In addition to maintaining its five-star Centers for Medicare and Medicaid rating, Bethesda’s quality score was noted to be in the top 5-percent of nursing facilities within the state, as reported in the most recent release of the Minnesota Quality Indicators for Long-Stay Residents distributed by the Minnesota Department of Human Services.

“Receiving a recognition like this amid a pandemic truly depicts the level of commitment Bethesda places into the quality of care provided to those who call Bethesda home,” said Michelle Haefner, chief executive officer of Bethesda. “At a time when residents of skilled nursing facilities across the nation are facing uncertainties, social isolation, and the resulting effects from a year of limited opportunities for physical movement it would be understandable to see a decline in some of the focus areas that this reporting evaluated. To know that Bethesda has consistently seen a positive increase in its quality rating quarter after quarter truly speaks to the commitment to the high-quality of care provided by our clinical and care teams.”

The areas evaluated by the Minnesota Department of Human Services to establish each nursing facilities’ quality ranking include psychological scores, utilization of physical restraints, continence ratings, prevalence of infections, number of accidents and severity, nutrition quality, pain management, skincare, use of psychotropics, and overall resident functioning status. Bethesda’s evaluation scored 85.93 out of 100, scoring much above the state average of 63.89.

Ashley Bormann, administrator for Bethesda Grand and Club Suites emphasized Bethesda’s approach to quality improvement projects and their utilization of consistent, data-driven, and proactive actions that advance the quality of care and quality of life for all residents at Bethesda. These focus areas have ranged from a reduction in pressure sores amid high-risk residents, reduction in the use of psychotropic medications, and improving resident dining experiences.

“While the current COVID-19 pandemic has taken a lot of focus and immediate energy from our team,  we were very aware that it could not take over our commitment to providing the highest-quality care and an exceptional quality of life for those we serve.  I am proud of the work that our teams have done and continue to do to ensure we were ready to deliver optimal care for our residents during a time when it is most critical,” Bormann said.

Bethesda Grand and Club Suites residents, representatives, and families interested in learning more about Bethesda quality improvement programs are encouraged to reach out to Bormann to learn more about participating in Bethesda’s quality assurance program.