Pacific Heights Transitional Care Center

To pair with its impressive overall grade, we awarded this nursing home a grade of A- for our nursing rating. We analyzed the qualifications of nurses at the nursing home, as well as the number of hours the nurses were with patients, in determining our score in this category. This facility provided 0.4 hours of nursing care per resident per day. Finally, our nursing grades also factor in quality-based assessments, such as avoiding major falls. This place performed well in this area. Avoiding major falls is typically a good indicator that a nursing home has reliable quality controls in place. Major falls can often be avoided if more nurses aids and better safety protocols are in place.

Contributing to this nursing home's list of achievements, it also was given a first-rate short-term care grade. We awarded them an impressive grade of A- in this area. In determining our short-term care grades, we assess the facility's skilled nursing services, such as those performed by registered nurses, respiratory therapists, physical therapists and other types of therapists. The purpose is to devise a barometer for sizing up the rehabilitation services of different facilities. Fortunately, it looks like this nursing home has registered nurses on staff. Not all facilities employs these types of nurses. On the other hand, based on the data this nursing home provided, they do not appear to employ physical therapists. The last measure we considered in this area is the percentage of patients that who were able to eventually return home from the nursing home. We found that 0 percent of this nursing home's patients returned home as opposed to remaining at the nursing home on a permanent basis.

The third area we looked at was long-term care. This facility was awarded an impressive long-term care score, with a grade of B+ in this category. Nursing homes that receive this kind of grade in long-term care tend to provide consistent 24/7 care to ensure residents are kept in good health. Once we assessed the volume of care provided by nurses and other staff, we then analyzed the nursing home's vaccination record. It does not appear that this facility submitted information about vaccinations. Clearly, this nursing home is doing something right in this area as it also excelled at keeping its residents out of the hospital. It had only 0 hospitalizations per 1,000 long-term resident days, which is a remarkably low figure.

In the final category we looked at, we found that this facility received a solid inspection report this year as well. As a result, it received a decent score in inspections with a grade of B. Inspection scores take several factors into consideration, including deficiencies and federal fines. You can find more information about each of these items by obtaining copies of nursing homes' inspection reports. This particular nursing home had just a single deficiency on its inspection report and it was not one deemed to pose a threat to patient health or safety. Even some of the best nursing homes receive an occasional ding on their inspection report.