2011 Pathways to Greatness Award: Deerfield Episcopal Retirement Community
CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA—October 17, 2011—LarsonAllen LLP (LarsonAllen) and LeadingAge are proud to announce
Deerfield Episcopal Retirement Community, Inc. (Deerfield), of Asheville, North Carolina, as the 2011
Pathways to Greatness award recipient.
Deerfield was selected by an industry steering committee panel based upon the five key attributes of a successful aging-services organization: leadership, superior performance, distinctive impact, best practices and innovation, and the ability to inspire public trust and confidence. While many applicants impressed the judging panel in a few of the five “greatness” areas, Deerfield demonstrated commitment to all five principles of the program.
“In my mind, Deerfield’s success really starts with a clear understanding of their mission,” says Mario Mckenzie, a health care principal with LarsonAllen. “The organization responds proactively to the needs of its various stakeholders—always with an eye on how its efforts can improve the lives of the Deerfield residents.”
Here are a few highlights that made Deerfield stand out:
Resident focus
Deerfield has developed a culture that encourages the pursuit of best practices in staffing, clinical quality, assisted living (AL), and technology. Leadership and staff alike have embraced the philosophy, “Do things in the best possible manner so that no task must be done over and every completed task is a source of pride.”
Staffing standards
Deerfield maintains a staffing ratio of 4.2 hours/resident/day—twice the state requirement and 0.6 higher than the industry standard—and is committed to using in-house (not agency) staff. In addition, staff members are assigned to the same residents every day, lowering turnover and providing continuity that results in significantly better care and improved resident outcomes.
Commitment to continuous quality improvement
Deerfield identifies key quality metrics, tracks progress, and holds staff accountable for the consistent application of best practices through the use of technology. These efforts have ensured 50 percent of short-term admissions return to independent living (IL), a negligible rate of acquired wounds, and a 50 percent reduction in falls.
Intentional design
Deerfield’s assisted living apartments are located in the heart of campus and contain a popular penthouse dining room utilized by independent and assisted living residents alike. These features help AL residents maintain their social connections with their independent living friends, making the transition from IL to AL easier.
Collaboration for improved results
As a single-site aging-services provider, Deerfield has sought collaborations to improve both financial and resident health results. Its partnership with Mountain Area Health Education Center (MAHEC) gives geriatric fellows important hands-on experience in delivering onsite primary care services to residents, staff, and even prospective residents. In addition, a new joint venture with four area continuing care retirement communities (CCRCs) will help Deerfield manage risk. The consortium will save costs by purchasing commercial insurance as a group, and reduce risk by sharing best practices.
Congratulations to the staff, leadership, and board for their commitment and dedication to the aging-services field and the residents they serve.
About the Pathways to Greatness Program
The Pathways to Greatness Program is designed to recognize high-quality aging-services organizations for their excellence. Recipients are selected by an industry steering committee panel based on the five key attributes of a successful aging-services organization. LarsonAllen, a national CPA, consulting, and advisory firm, and LeadingAge sponsor the nationwide effort to help LeadingAge members improve the quality of senior living providers.
Read our summary on this year's recipient.
Learn about Pathways to Greatness.
View past winners.
About LarsonAllen
LarsonAllen LLP (LarsonAllen) is a professional service firm that provides audit, accounting, tax, outsourcing, international, and advisory services to organizations and individuals managing business ventures and finance. Founded in 1953, LarsonAllen’s certified public accountants, consultants, and advisors are dedicated to providing quality results to clients. LarsonAllen has approximately 1,800 people and $280 million in annual revenues. Offices are located in Arizona, Florida, Idaho, Illinois, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Missouri, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Texas, Washington, Washington DC, and Wisconsin. LarsonAllen is an independent member of Nexia International, a top 10 worldwide organization providing global connections.
Media Contact: Kevin Kirsch | Minneapolis, 612-376-4656, kkirsch@larsonallen.com