High standards at Quality Health

Submitted by Gerry Clare

Roving Reporter

The Florida Times Union reported Saturday that several nursing homes in the area were deficient and not up to Medicare Standards.  Not so at Quality Health which held an open house Thursday night for the public and the last Business After Hours for the year for the local Chamber of Commerce.

Guests were greeted at the door with a sign announcing some sprucing up and entered a lobby in front of a lovely courtyard with a water feature and beautifully tended flowers and trees.  In the rear courtyard, there was a great local musical duo, a wonderful buffet including prime rib and numerous desserts.  Community Hospice and Quality Health co-sponsored the event and it was a lovely evening and a chance to see this almost 30 year old facility at its best.

I met with Stephen Jordan, the Nursing Home Administrator for the last four years, and he filled me in on some interesting facts about the facility including that the state surveys them every year and it had just finished a visit and audit, scoring them above the state average.

You may wonder how it differs from other facilities like the Jane Adams House, Savannah Grand and Osprey Village.  It is a traditional nursing home which provides long term care along with short term rehabilitation, while the other facilities are assisted living centers.

There are currently about 100 patients and 70 to 75 are long term.  However, because rehab patients come and go, they make up about 80% of all patients and stay on an average of 28 days. Also, there are 115 staff members, many of whom have been with Quality over 17 years. The nursing staff is highly skilled as is the rehab staff.

Jordan says that he is privileged to work with such a wonderful facility and staff and looks forward to the current improvements, which are giving Quality “a new look.”  The awning in front was being replaced as I met with him.  When I asked about all the wonderful flowers, he credited one of his employees, Chris Moore, with tending those areas in his spare time.

All in all, this is a facility Fernandina Beach can be proud to have in the community.

October 21, 2012 1:08 p.m.