Did you know the Nursing Home Compare dataset — the official dataset used on the Nursing Home Compare website — is fully downloadable? The data are available in either an Access database format or as flat data files you can open using spreadsheet software, and the site offers a Getting Started video to help out. The most recent set available was updated August 19, 2015.
Having access to the full dataset allows comparison between quality measures for all Medicare and Medicaid-certified nursing homes in the country at the facility, zip code, or state level. This includes over 15,000 facilities! The data contains tables on facility deficiencies, ownership, penalties, provider information, quality measures, state averages, and the survey summary.
While the website is an interesting resource for patients and families looking to learn about nursing home options in their area, as a dataset, it can be a helpful source for nursing homes professionals and operators looking to answer a variety of questions such as:
- What is the most recent list of nursing facilities in my state that are Medicare/Medicaid certified?
- What deficiencies are starting to show up more frequently from surveyor visits?
- What services do the facilities in my city offer and what are their star ratings?
- How does my facility compare on a city, state, or national level based on star ratings, vaccination rates, total deficiencies, staffing, bed size, etc?
- What are trends for deficiency citations over time?
The other Medicare “Compare” datasets are available as well—Hospital Compare, Physician Compare, Home Health Compare, Dialysis Facility Compare, as well as the Supplier Directory database.
Happy exploring!