Both federal and state laws require skilled nursing facilities such as Baton Rouge Health Care Center to provide sufficient and competent nursing staffing to meet the needs of their census populations. The federal Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (“CMS”) monitors and regulates skilled nursing facilities and their various staffing levels.

In its regulatory role, CMS created the Five-Star Rating System[1] that calculates various quality measures based on the data that each facility provides to CMS as part of their respective participation in the Medicare program. According to CMS, “[n]ursing homes with 5 stars are considered to have much above average quality and nursing homes with 1 star are considered to have quality much below average.”[2] Notably, among the most significant factors reviewed by CMS is the “staffing” provided to each facility’s census population.

Based on the data provided to CMS, CMS has determined that Baton Rouge Health Care Center located at 5550 Thomas Road in Baton Rouge, Louisiana garnered a 2 Star Rating for staffing, which ranks at towards the bottom of that scale – “below average.”[3] On October 4, 2023, Baton Rouge Health Care Center was cited for multiple deficiencies, which are available to review in inquiring whether those same deficiencies may apply to you or your loved one (e.g., failing to “[h]onor the resident’s right to a safe, clean, comfortable and homelike environment, including but not limited to receiving treatment and supports for daily living safely.”)[4]