Press Releases

Five Genesis HealthCare Centers To Be Awarded Prestigious National Award; Only 26 Centers Receive Award Nationwide

Kennett Square, PA -- 06/26/2009 --

Genesis HealthCare, one of the nation’s largest long-term care companies, today announced that five of its Centers have been recognized as 2009 recipients of the Step II National Quality Award presented by the American Health Care Association and National Center for Assisted Living (AHCA/NCAL).  This year, 215 nursing and assisted living facilities from across the nation applied for the quality award at this level.  Genesis Centers received five of the 26 awards given out this year.  The Centers will be formally presented the award during AHCA/NCAL’s 60th Annual Convention and Exposition, October 4-7, 2009 in Chicago, IL.

Genesis Centers receiving the honor include: Grand Islander Center, Middletown, RI; Harris Hill Center, Concord, NH; Heritage Hall South, Agawam, MA; Kresson View Center, Voorhees, NJ;
Spa Creek Center, Annapolis, MD.

“We applaud Genesis for being at the forefront of the quality movement,” stated Bruce Yarwood, President and CEO of AHCA/NCAL. “Being judged to be worthy of this quality award demonstrates a commitment to a rigorous journey of continuous improvement and a high level of sustainable performance.

Applicants for the Step II level award have previously received the Step I level award.  At the Step II level, the applicants provide a comprehensive description of the systematic approaches they use to continuously improve their customer-focused quality management system.  Step II recipients may now move forward to apply for the Step III award which requires them to address the Baldrige Program’s Health Care Criteria for Performance Excellence.

“We are pleased that the staff at each Genesis Center has achieved this very significant milestone in their journey to achieve performance excellence,” stated Bernie Dana, Chair, AHCA/NCAL National Quality Award Board of Overseers. “They have demonstrated the value of this award program as a pathway to improving performance in long term care.”

“The Step II Award is a testament to the hard work and dedication of the truly gifted team of professionals at each of these five locations,” notes Genesis Chief Executive Officer George V. Hager, Jr.  “It is a great honor to receive this distinction.”

AHCA/NCAL is a trade organization with approximately 11,000 members.  AHCA/NCAL used the concepts of the Baldrige National Quality Award to create the 3-step national quality award program for the long term care profession in 1996.  In 2009, there were 664 Step I applications, 215 Step II, applications, and 19 Step III applications.  Applications are reviewed by teams of Master and Senior Examiners who have received special training to qualify as judges for the award program. A nine member Board of Overseers provides oversight of the award program. 

The awards are sponsored by AHCA/NCAL Associate Business Member McKesson Medical-Surgical, a leading distributor of medical supplies and equipment to physician practices, surgery centers, hospitals, home care, and extended care facilities, and My InnerView, a Web-based applied research and quality-management company that supports leaders across the entire assisted living, senior housing and skilled nursing profession with tools to measure, benchmark and improve performance.

Genesis HealthCare Corporation is dedicated to improving the lives we touch through the delivery of high-quality healthcare and everyday compassion.

About Genesis HealthCare Corporation
Genesis HealthCare Corporation is one of the nation's largest long term care providers with over 200 skilled nursing centers and assisted living residences in 13 eastern states. Genesis also supplies contract rehabilitation therapy to over 800 healthcare providers in 23 states and the District of Columbia.  Visit our website at www.genesishcc.com.

###