Natick Visiting Nurse Association Secures Two 5-Star Ratings from Medicare

NATICK, Mass. - April 4, 2016 - PRLog -- Natick Visiting Nurse Association (Natick VNA), the area's premier free-standing, not-for-profit home health care agency, today announced that it has earned two five-star ratings - the highest possible - from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS). It is the only Medicare-certified home health agency in Massachusetts to hold this distinction.

The first rating reflects the data received from Medicare's Home Health Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HHCAHPS) survey, which analyzes patient responses to questions about their care. The second rating, Home Health Compare (HHC), is based on nine of the 29 measures that reflect clinical process and outcomes measures and how they relate to quality of patient care.

Natick VNA is one of four Medicare-certified home health agencies in Massachusetts and the only one based in and serving MetroWest to earn a five star HHC rating, placing the agency among the top three percent of agencies nationwide. It is the only agency in Massachusetts to receive five stars in both the HHCAHPS and HHC ratings and one of only 30 nationwide out of more than 9,000 to have earned two five-star ratings.

"For more than a century, our clinicians have been providing unparalleled care to our patients and their families. These dual five-star ratings validate that for us. Our dedicated, interdisciplinary clinical team focuses its care based on patient data, thereby improving clinical outcomes. Our seasoned Quality Assurance team provides oversight to ensure that we are continually providing the kind of home health care that enhances the lives of our patients and that is recognized at a national level," said Natick VNA CEO Judith Boyko, MBA, MS, RN.

"Patients have a choice when it comes to their home health care provider," Boyko added. "We hope that these new measures and ratings systems will help consumers make an informed decision when choosing their home health provider."

The process and quality measures on which the HHC ratings are based include the timely initiation of care; drug education on medications provided to patient/caregiver; flu immunization for the current season; and improvement in pain that interferes with activity, to name a few.

HHCAHPS measures include results of patient care; clinician-patient communications; specific issues as they relate to care; and overall patient experience with the home health agency.

Natick VNA provides a variety of home health services, including nursing; physical, occupational and speech therapies; medical social work; palliative care; telehealth; prescription drug assistance; and specialized Alzheimer's care to patients and their families throughout MetroWest.

Natick VNA is located at 209 West Central Street, Suite 313, Natick, Mass., 01760. For additional information, call 508-653-3081 or visit www.natickvna.org.

About Natick Visiting Nurse Association: Natick VNA (http://www.natickvna.org/), which serves more than 20 towns in MetroWest, is the area's premier free-standing, not-for-profit home health care agency. The Natick VNA helps patients of all ages live with the fullest degree of independence in their own homes, while benefiting from the agency's state-of-the-art home telemonitoring technology, ComfortCare (http://www.natickvna.org/content66.html) palliative care program, cold laser therapy, and other advanced services.