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Lakeland Healthcare moves to 3-star CMS rating; trustees hear staffing, admissions and medical director updates
Summary
Staff told trustees Lakeland's overall CMS rating improved from 2 to 3 stars after inspection and long-stay measure gains. Officials described benefits for admissions, a new medical director through Oak Medical, and recent increases in census and staffing.
Lakeland Healthcare Center reported an upgrade to a 3-star overall rating from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) during the Oct. 19 Board of Trustees meeting, a change staff attributed to an improved inspection score and stronger long-stay quality measures.
Tracy Bernardo, who presented the quality update, said the center's inspection rating rose from 1 star to 2 stars and its long-stay quality measures improved from 4 stars to 5 stars because of better results in falls with major injury, pressure injuries and rehospitalizations and emergency-room visits. Those improvements together raised the facility's overall rating from two stars to three.
Bernardo and other staff described practical benefits of a higher star rating: increased referrals for short-term rehabilitation; eligibility for certain Post-Acute Network (PAN) benefits with Aurora Health Care that can allow admitting some Medicare Part A patients without the standard three-midnight inpatient requirement; and potential higher payments from some insurance carriers tied to star ranking.
Trustees also heard that Oak Medical will serve as the facility's medical director; staff named Dr. Sadu as the new medical director and said Oak Medical brings wound-care and psychiatric resources and will continue a residency partnership that places resident physicians in the skilled nursing setting for 90-day rotations.
On operations, staff reported census and staffing improvements. The facility averaged a daily census of about 79 in December and has recently targeted higher occupancy; trustees were told the census reached 84 and briefly peaked at 87 during the prior week. Staff said the center is deliberately pacing admissions to manage risk as more residents with complex needs arrive. December activity included 15 admissions and 17 discharges.
Human-resources reporting showed a total FTE vacancy near 6.2 percent. In the 2025 budget the facility proposed converting some LPN positions to RN positions to align with potential staffing mandates; staff said they could underfill those positions with LPNs if a mandate does not materialize. Presenters warned that nurse applicant pools remain tight.
Speakers emphasized that quality measures remain a priority even as the center seeks to raise census. Trustees were not asked to take formal action on these updates; staff said they will continue to report quality measures, self-reports and survey outcomes to the board.
