The California Department of Health has issued a new All Facilities Letter announcing the launch of the "Five Star Quality Rating System" on Nursing Home Compare. Starting December 18, 2008, nursing homes will receive an Overall Rating based on facility performance in three areas: Health Inspections, Staffing, and Quality Measures. The star ratings for each performance measure will be displayed alongside the Overall Rating. Nursing homes with five stars are considered to have much above average quality, while those with one star are considered to have quality much below average. Providers will be able to preview their individual ratings via their electronic connection to State servers for submission of Minimum Data Set data beginning December 16, 2008. Nursing homes and other healthcare facilities should be aware of this new rating system and take any necessary actions to improve their ratings.

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