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14 Good Samaritan Society nursing homes named best in nation

Dec. 11, 2023

Contact:
Tess Hedrick
Sanford Health Media Relations
605-366-2432 / tess.hedrick@sanfordhealth.org

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. — Several Good Samaritan Society nursing homes were named to the 2024 Best Nursing Homes list by U.S. News & World Report. U.S. News & World Report, the global authority in health care rankings and consumer advice, recently revealed the list, which includes 14 Good Samaritan Society nursing homes with a high performance rating in short-term rehabilitation, long-term care or both.

Out of the more than 15,000 nursing homes evaluated by U.S. News, less than 20% met the criteria for ‘best nursing homes’. Of those:

“We applaud our locations recognized on this list. Across the Good Samaritan Society, our staff take the utmost pride in caring for our nation’s seniors,” said Heather Herlyn, director of quality and safety for the Good Samaritan Society. “From the nurses and nurse aides to housekeeping and dietary, our team members go above and beyond every day to ensure residents receive the best quality of life. It’s that sense of calling and the family-like connection that makes our culture so unique and special.”

The latest data from U.S. News reveals that fewer than 5% of evaluated nursing homes meet both existing staffing requirements and newly proposed staffing requirements by the Biden administration. With respect to the proposed staffing mandate, the CLA report confirms that 94 percent of nursing homes do not currently meet at least one of the three proposed requirements. However, 95 percent of nursing homes are meeting current staffing requirements to provide “sufficient nursing staff.”

“At the Good Samaritan Society, our staff tell us it’s a calling to care for residents who are like family to them,” said Nate Schema, Good Samaritan Society president and CEO. “Our families tell us it’s the trusting relationships that staff build with their loved ones that leaves a truly lasting impact. Our residents tell us it’s all of the little things staff do to make every day special to them. This is what quality is all about, not arbitrary one-size-fits-all staffing requirements that fail to recognize the unique needs of the communities we have the privilege of serving.”

To be recognized as one of the 2024 US News Best Nursing Homes, a facility must have been “High Performing” in short-term rehabilitation, long-term care, or both. The U.S. News methodology factors in data such as data on resident care, safety, outcomes and other aspects of quality. Both short- and long-term ratings include data on nurse staffing, use of antipsychotic drugs and success in preventing ER and hospital visits.

About the Good Samaritan Society
The Good Samaritan Society is one of the largest not-for-profit providers for senior care and services in the United States with more than 200 locations in 17 states. Its services include senior living, long-term care, rehabilitation therapy, home-based services and more. For 100 years, the organization has been dedicated to sharing God’s love through the work of health, healing and comfort. Learn more about the Good Samaritan Society at good-sam.com. 

About Sanford Health
Sanford Health, the largest rural health system in the United States, is dedicated to transforming the health care experience and providing access to world-class health care in America’s heartland. Headquartered in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, the organization serves more than one million patients and 201,000 health plan members across 250,000 square miles. The integrated health system has 46 medical centers, 2,800 Sanford physicians and advanced practice providers, 170 clinical investigators and research scientists, 186 Good Samaritan Society senior living centers and world clinics in nine countries around the globe. Learn more about Sanford Health’s commitment to shaping the future of rural health care across the lifespan at sanfordhealth.org or Sanford Health News.