The Agency for Health Care Administration (Agency) today announced continued improvements in nursing homes, specifically in reducing the use of antipsychotic drugs for long-stay nursing home residents. Since the end of 2011, the use of antipsychotic drugs in Florida has fallen by nearly 10 percent. According to federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Florida has not only moved ahead of the national average overall, but also experienced one of the biggest declines in the use of these medications in the country. CMS has launched a national partnership to improve dementia care in nursing homes and lessen the prevalence of antipsychotic medications. The overall mission of the partnership is to increase the use of person-centered practices rather than using pharmaceuticals.
Agency Secretary Justin Senior said, “We are proud of the efforts of nursing homes in Florida to ensure that senior citizens are receiving the best possible care. We work closely with the nursing homes we regulate and industry partners to make continuous improvements to the level of care and customer service that residents receive. Florida continues to outpace the country in the quality of our nursing homes, and I want to thank all of our partners for their commitment to quality health care for some of our most vulnerable patients.”
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