The Skilled Nursing Unit at Muncy Valley Hospital was recognized by the Centers For Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) as one of 12 percent of all nursing homes nationwide and only one of two locally to qualify for a 5-star overall quality rating.

In December 2008, CMS announced a new Nursing Home Rating System. The nursing home’s overall quality rating is based on health inspections, quality measures and staffing. Ratings for each domain and the overall rating range from one star to five stars, with more stars indicating higher quality.

“The entire team at the facility deserves this distinctive honor for all the hard work they do daily to improve the quality of resident’s lives through delivering excellent resident care,” says Anne E. Holladay, CNHA, Administrative Director NHA, Susquehanna Health.

“As part of the Susquehanna Health family of care, we embrace the faith-based non-profit mission of extending God’s healing mercy to all we serve.”

The long-term care facility is the first in the region to move to an entire electronic medical record system for documenting and managing resident care. All areas in the facility record medical information on computers whether it is therapy, nursing notes or medication administration just to name a few.

“Our physicians are able to view a resident’s medical record right from their office to keep current on their patient’s medical conditions,” explains Holladay. “In addition, the computer is able to trend care issues to help us be proactive to improve care outcomes.”

In 2005, the facility signed the Quality First Covenant to achieve excellence. Since then, the facility’s strategic planning has been based on the quality first principles of

Continuous quality improvement.

Public disclosure and accountability.

Consumer and family rights.

Workforce excellence.

Community involvement.

Ethical practices.

Financial integrity or stewardship.

The Skilled Nursing Unit at Muncy Valley Hospital, a 138 bed facility, is unique to our area since it is connected to an acute care hospital, so services such as emergency care, laboratory and radiology are just steps away.