Today, Governor Laura Kelly announced that the Kansas Veterans’ Home (KVH) recently received a Five Star Quality Rating from the Nursing Home Compare Five Star Quality Rating Analysis Report for the second quarter in a row. The latest Nursing Home Compare Five Star Quality Rating Analysis Report was released on November 18, 2021.

“Our veterans should be treated with the utmost respect and care,” said Governor Laura Kelly. “Congratulations to the Kansas Veterans’ Home on receiving a five-star rating for the second quarter in a row. You should be proud of your work to support and improve the lives of Kansas veterans.”

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) created the Five-Star Quality Rating System to help consumers, their families, and caregivers compare nursing homes on topics considered most important and gives a “snapshot” of the quality of each nursing home. The rating, between 1 to 5 stars, combines results and data from three important sources, including:

  • Health Inspections – The health inspection rating contains the three most recent Annual CMS Health Inspections Surveys and investigations due to complaints. These inspections determine the extent to which a nursing home has met Medicaid and Medicare quality requirements. 
  • Staffing – The staffing rating has information about the number of hours of care provided on average to each resident each day by nursing staff. This rating considers differences in the levels of residents’ care needs in each nursing home. 
  • Quality of Resident Care Measures (QMs) – The quality measure rating has information on 17 different physical and clinical measures for nursing home residents. It identifies how well a nursing home is caring for its residents’ physical and clinical needs.

A star rating is calculated for each of these three sources, along with an overall rating. Nursing homes with five stars are considered to be providing well above average quality. Nursing homes with one star are considered to have quality far below average. 

“To attain this goal is a high accomplishment for the KVH Staff,” said Bill Turner, Acting Director of the Kansas Commission on Veterans Affairs Office. “Beyond the variables that comprise the analysis report, the staff has also worked with the stress of the pandemic and nursing shortages that are being experienced in nursing homes throughout the country. The Five Star Rating validates the dedication, hard work and attention to detail that goes into the quality of care provided for our Veteran residents and qualified family members.”

“The KVH is ‘A Place of Honor,’” said Kafer Peele, Superintendent at the Kansas Veterans Home. “Every resident deserves to receive the highest quality care while being treated with dignity and respect.”