Philadelphia, Schuylkill County Nursing Homes Receive Excellence Awards

HARRISBURG, Pa., May 14, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Pennsylvania Secretary of Health Michael Wolf will visit two nursing home facilities in southeastern Pennsylvania today to present the state's second annual "Awards for Excellence in Health Care Compliance."

"When we developed this award last year, our goal was to improve our interaction with healthcare facilities by providing something we were lacking – positive reinforcement," Wolf said.

"We are honored to be able to highlight some of our own strengths in the commonwealth as this award demonstrates the commitment and dedication of facilities to deliver safe, top-quality healthcare to some of Pennsylvania's most vulnerable citizens."

The Department of Health licenses and oversees 711 nursing homes statewide and conducts approximately 5,000 inspections annually, including licensure and certification surveys, follow-up surveys and complaint investigations. This year there are two award recipients, both of whom also received the award last year. 

Facilities receiving the award were required to have no state citations over the last three calendar years based on annual health survey inspections. All department-licensed nursing homes were eligible for the awards and did not need to apply to be considered.

Today Wolf will visit the Schuylkill Center, a Genesis HealthCare skilled nursing facility located in Pottsville, where he will present the award to Nursing Home Administrator John Gregis.

"I am honored to receive this award and proud of the incredible effort our team at the center has made to achieve a deficiency-free survey for six consecutive years," Gregis said. "This accomplishment is a testament to the hard work and dedication of each and every employee who provides quality care and services to the patients and residents of this center."

The second visit, on Wednesday, will be to the Pennsylvania Hospital Skilled Care Center in Philadelphia, where Wolf will present the award to Administrator Kathy Magnes.

"The staff members of the Skilled Care Center are elated that they have once again been awarded the Department of Health's annual Award for Excellence in Healthcare Compliance," Magnes said.

"It was made possible through the continued dedication and efforts of my skilled care team members to ensure that Pennsylvania Hospital remains 'the best place for a patient to be a patient.' We are honored to receive this recognition."

Media contact: Aimee Tysarczyk or Holli Senior, 717-787-1783

SOURCE Pennsylvania Department of Health