Dateline: September 16, 2004

MCNH gets perfect report from state

By Roger Estlack, Clarendon Enterprise

Medical Center Nursing Home officials have something to strut about after a state team found no deficiencies for the second year in a row.

The Texas Department on Aging & Disability Services gave the facility a clean bill of health during an annual review late last month, and the final report was received Monday.

Donley County Hospital District Administrator Alan Graham said state personnel were impressed with MCNH.

“One surveyor told me in all his time he had never seen as happy and as content residents as he did here,” Graham said. “He told me there were no complaints, and that was a first for him.”

MCNH officials say it’s rare for a nursing home to have zero deficiencies given the broad scope of the inspection, and to have zero deficiencies two years in a row is even more rare.

“Happy residents and families that are satisfied – that’s the mission we have,” Graham said.

The inspection looks at everything from regulation compliance to food preparation to sanitation and administration.

The state team can make its unannounced visit any time from three months before to three months after the date of its visit the year before. This year, the team arrived at about 7 p.m. and stayed on site until after 11 p.m.

“Ten percent of their annual inspections each year have to be done either at night or on weekends,” Graham said.

Graham credited a team effort – from the staff up to the hospital board – for creating an atmosphere of quality care, and Director of Nurses Vickie Robertson agreed.

“Having a deficiency-free survey two years in a row is testimony to our qualified staff who exemplify teamwork and quality care,” she said.

Robertson said all the praise should be put on the employees.

“They [the staff] sent me flowers, and I told them they should have saved their money because they are the ones who make the difference.”