Predictors of quality in rural nursing homes using standard and novel methods

We examined the effect of market and organizational characteristics on nursing home quality as measured by deficiencies (number and weighted) on states in a rural region of the United States. Rural nursing homes in five Mountain West states (N = 161) were sampled from the Online Survey Certification and Reporting system between January 1, 2004 and June 15, 2005. State comparisons indicated that rural nursing homes in Nevada had a higher number of deficiencies and weighted deficiency score as compared with Utah, Colorado, Wyoming, and Idaho. Using regression analyses, we found that a higher percentage of licensed practical nurses in the staffing mix were predictive of a greater number of deficiencies. Nursing homes with more beds or higher Medicaid occupancy had higher weighted deficiency scores. Although rural Mountain West nursing homes average a similar number of deficiencies as nursing homes nationwide, these nursing homes had a greater number of serious deficiencies and higher weighted deficiency scores, suggesting greater actual harm to resident health and safety.