Officials with Atlantic Nursing and Rehab Center report the Director of Nursing Michelle Gifford and Administrator Kellie Jimerson traveled to New Orleans on February 11, 2014, to accept the American Health Care Association’ Quality Initiatives Award for 2013. Atlantic Nursing and Rehab Center is the only skilled nursing facility in the state to have earned the honor by meting all criteria, including:

• Safely reducing hospital re-admissions within 30 days during a skilled nursing stay by 15 percent
• Increase staff stability by reducing nursing staff turnover by 15 percent.
• Increase customer satisfaction by having 90 percent of residents and families willing to recommend their center to others
• and, Safely reduce the off-label use of antipsychotics by 15 percent.

Administrator Kelli Jimerson said “We began in 2008 when the facility identified numerous issues that we wished to work on.”  She added “Since that time we joined the Advancing Excellence program in an effort to work on reducing survey issues, increasing our 5-star rating, and providing more of the quality care that the residents of the Atlantic community and their families have come to know and expect.”

In 2011, the ANRC was awarded the AHCA’s Bronze Quality Award. The facility is owned and operated by Care Initiatives, Iowa’s largest not-for-profit senior care provider. Certified by Medicare and Medicaid, Care Initiatives includes nursing homes, assisted livings and independent living facilities in 56 locations throughout the state, and offers a separate not-for-profit Care Initiatives Hospice service throughout 63 counties in Iowa. Care Initiatives__strive to provide Iowans with the best skilled care along with physical, occupational and speech therapy services.