Administrative deficiency citations and quality of care in nursing homes

In this investigation, we examine deficiency citations for administration in nursing homes. Administration is defined as the top managers in each facility, consisting of the nursing home administrator and director of nursing. We examine the association between deficiency citations for administration (indicating poor administration practices) and quality of care. Regulators, as well as consumers, are interested in this association. Data used came from the 1996-2004 Online Survey, Certification And Recording (OSCAR) data, representing approximately 17,000 facilities per year. We find that 5% of facilities received a deficiency citation for administration, and lower facility quality is associated with these administration deficiency citations.