Nursing home administrators' opinions of the Nursing Home Compare Web site

Purpose: In November of 2002 the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services publicly reported on a national basis the quality of nursing homes on the Nursing Home Compare (NHC) Web site. This study examines administrators' opinions of this initiative and whether it has fostered quality improvement. Design and Methods: Data used in this investigation come from a questionnaire mailed to the administrators of 477 nursing homes. Three hundred and twenty-four responses were received, giving a response rate of 68%. Facilities were located in four states: Connecticut, Maryland, Pennsylvania, and Tennessee. Results: Ninety percent of the administrators examined the NHC Web site, 51% stated that they would be using the information for quality improvement in the future, and 33% stated that they were using NHC information in quality-improvement initiatives. Implications: For NHC to influence quality as it is intended, nursing home quality-of-care initiatives are essential. Study results show that administrators are generally accepting of the NHC Web site, and some are using the information in quality initiatives.