IHCA Praises new Consumer and Workforce Satisfaction Data

Statistical Analysis Finds Consumer and Staff Satisfaction Levels Reach New Highs

Indianapolis – The Indiana Health Care Association (IHCA) praised the results of the
new 2008 National Survey of Consumer and Workforce Satisfaction in Nursing Homes
recently released by independent research firm My InnerView (MIV). The national study
found that 85 percent of consumers report their satisfaction as either “excellent” or
“good”, while 66 percent of care staff also say their facility is an “excellent” or “good”
place to work.

“As consumer and workforce satisfaction have reached the highest levels in 2008, we
applaud the efforts of care staff in Indiana’s nursing homes,” said Steve Smith, President
of the Indiana Health Care Association (IHCA). “These findings reflect the profession’s
commitment to quality-improvement initiatives and demonstrate that improvements in
the workforce are linked to consumer satisfaction and ultimately quality of care.”

States the new MIV study: “Although satisfaction levels are high, job stress is a
significant opportunity for nursing home leaders to address in order to improve nurse and
nursing assistants’ satisfaction, while meeting resident choices and preferences is one of
the top priority items for improving resident and family satisfaction.” Other highlights of
the report include data that support the view of aligning financial incentives with
organizational performance.

This month, the Indiana Health Care Foundation (IHCF) will conduct a staffing survey of
Indiana nursing homes. The survey will address job satisfaction among directors of
nursing and direct care workers such as staff registered nurses, administrative registered
nurses, licensed nurse practitioners and certified nurse assistants. Smith stressed the
goals of the Indiana survey as a continuing exercise in quality improvement.

“Our goal is to take a closer look at factors influencing job satisfaction among direct care
workers in Indiana nursing homes specifically,” said Smith. “We recognize there is
always room for improvement, especially as we look for ways to address our State’s
staffing shortage in long term care.”

About the Indiana Health Care Association (IHCA)
The Indiana Health Care Association is Indiana's largest trade association and advocate
representing proprietary, not-for-profit and hospital-based nursing home and assisted
living communities, adult foster care and adult day services. IHCA's 264 member
facilities care for more than 25,000 of Indiana's geriatric and developmentally disabled
citizens, the majority of whom are low-income Medicaid recipients. To learn more about
IHCA, visit http://www.ihca.org/.