New law gives consumers better access to nursing home information 

Consumers will have easier access to information about nursing homes and adult daycare centers, helping families to make better informed decisions, under a new state law.

The law, which Governor Corzine signed on April 9, 2007, requires the state Department of Health and Senior Services to provide information on its website about nursing homes, long-term care facilities and adult day care programs.

The DHSS website will provide the expanded information in an easy-to-access format so New Jersey citizens can investigate and compare long-term care and adult day care facilities before selecting which facility is right for them or their loved ones. 

The website provides information about the ownership of a long-term care and adult daycare facilities, which must have a state license to operate. It includes the names of all the owners of a facility, how many other facilities are run by the same owner and the contact information. The website also documents any violations regarding the care of patients or the condition of the facility.

The information is searchable by name of the owner or by name of the facility. The department can make the information available in writing upon request. The website also provides information regarding any violations pertaining to the care of patients or the physical standards at the facility. 
 

Information about these facilities includes the facility size, location, services offered, customer satisfaction data, performance data and, in the case of nursing facilities, quality measure data based upon criteria developed by the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid services.