Nursing homes with high Medicare ratings and positive online reviews may have lower readmission rates, according to a study published in JAMA Network Open.
Researchers analyzed 8,548 Yelp reviews posted between 2014 and 2018 for 1,536 skilled nursing facilities nationwide.They compared this information to readmission rates and quality ratings from CMS' Nursing Home Compare site.
Nursing homes that received the highest ratings from Yelp and CMS had a 2 percent lower readmission rate than the worst-performing facilities. Nursing homes with the highest ratings often received Yelp comments about staff members' attitude, communication, and quality of the facility and equipment.
Researchers noted the analysis does not distinguish between medically appropriate and avoidable readmissions. In addition, only 10 percent of nursing facilities nationwide had online reviews available for analysis.
To view the full study, click here.