Asbury Place at Kingsport

On top of performing well in its overall grade, this facility received high marks in our short-term care rating as well. As a result, it received our highest score in that category with an A+. In calculating our short-term care ratings, we analyze the facility's levels of highly skilled nursing, which includes registered nurses, physical therapists occupational therapists and other highly trained professionals. This score is typically a fair measure of the facility's ability to rehabilitate patients. Fortunately, it looks like this facility has registered nurses on staff. Not all facilities employs these types of nurses. However, according to the information they provided, they do not appear to employ physical therapists. Lastly, we considered the number of residents who were able to return to the community from this facility. We found that 6.3 percent of this nursing home's patients returned home.

Compounding its impressive performance in other areas, we gave this nursing home a score of A for its long-term care score. When facilities receive this type of grade in this category it is a good sign for patient care and indicates that the nursing home is well-staffed with nurses and aids. In addition to looking at the quantity of care provided by nurses and other staff, we analyzed the number of residents vaccinated against pneumonia. This nursing home administered the vaccine to 100 percent of its residents, which is an impressive figure. Pneumonia is too frequently a life threatening ailment for nursing home patients so we prefer when a facility does not leave this to chance. Clearly, this place is doing something right in this area as it also excelled at keeping its residents out of the hospital. It had less than one hospitalization per 1,000 long-term resident days, which is a remarkably low figure.

Among its many impressive grades, this facility received an excellent nursing grade. In fact, we gave it a grade of A in that category. In calculating our nursing ratings, we weigh both staffing levels and the training levels of the nurses. This nursing home averages 0.5 hours of nursing care per resident per day. Finally, we also looked at several nursing quality measures and this place excelled in some of these areas. With less than five percent of its residents sustaining pressure ulcers, it performed as well as any nursing home the country in this category. This is generally a good indicator of quality nursing care. Pressure ulcers can many times be avoided by providing better nursing care, such as having a protocol of moving patients even once per day.

Adding to this nursing home's impressive resume, we awarded this facility a grade of A- for our inspections rating. With this score, the nursing home completes its straight A report card. Our inspection ratings account for a host of factors found on a facility's inspection reports. One of the most important criteria we consider is the quantity and severity of deficiencies. Places with higher grades in this area typically have few severe deficiencies. While this place had some minor dings on its inspection report, it had zero severe deficiencies. Severe deficiencies are labeled as categories G through L. This tells you that the inspectors didn't consider any of the deficiencies on this facility's report to pose an imminent threat to patient health or safety. Finally, this facility had no substantiated complaints this year from residents, which is an excellent sign.