Sacramento, CA – Eskaton Care Center Greenhaven receives perfect score on recent California Department of Public Health (CDPH) survey at its 148 bed community. The survey process reports deficiencies that health surveyors find at nursing homes. “Greenhaven is one of 3% of skilled nursing facilities in California to receive zero deficiencies, also known as a ‘Golden Survey’,” says Betsy Donovan, Chief Operating Officer of Eskaton. The statewide average in 2013 was 9.1 deficiencies per survey.
The specific qualities of an Eskaton community that lead to no deficiencies are “excellent staff training, attention to detail and quality of life, and treating the individual not the illness,” says Donovan. “It takes intensive staff training to get these results.”
Greenhaven’s Executive Director Heather Craig says, “A big contribution is the longevity of the team and how they are always looking to make things better.” Craig has been in the industry for over 21 years and the executive director at Greenhaven for ten years. This is her third zero deficiency survey in her career. “The team work approach allows the entire building to work together,” says Craig. “Staff longevity means seasoned staff can mentor new comers and create a very tight and consistent culture,” continues Donovan.
Surveys are performed at nursing homes every 6-15 months by CDPH. The deficiencies found can range from kitchen sanitation to more serious problems that require a civil penalty citation. If a deficiency is received, a nursing home must submit a written plan of correction. Some details from the CDPH survey are reported to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) for use in its Five Star rating on medicare.gov. CMS uses the Five Star rating as a baseline consistent across the US while CDPH focuses on what specifically needs to happen in nursing homes for licensing in California. “The Five Star rating puts all skilled nursing facilities on the same scale,” explains Donovan. “However, the Five Star rating alone doesn’t tell the entire story.” Greenhaven currently is listed with five stars on the medicare.gov website.
About Eskaton
Eskaton is a Northern California-based, nonprofit organization with over 45 years of experience. Our dedicated team members provide services and support for nearly 14,000 individuals who live in our communities or participate in our comprehensive home support network called Live Well at Home.
