Birchwood Plaza, 1426 W. Birchwood, Chicago, Illinois 60626
Birchwood Plaza has 200 certified beds. The facility participates in both Medicare and Medicaid and is not in a continuing care retirement community. The ownership of Birchwood Plaza is a for-profit corporation. The nursing home is located in the Rogers Park neighborhood on Chicago’s far north side. The overall rating of Birchwood Plaza given by the Nursing Home Compare website is much above average.
The Illinois Department of Health and Human Services conducts regular Illinois nursing home inspections approximately every 18 months. One such health inspection report was submitted for Birchwood Plaza on March 18, 2016. There were no complaint inspections made at this facility between August 1, 2015 and July 31, 2016. The total number of health deficiencies found at Birchwood Plaza were two. The average number of health deficiencies in Illinois nursing homes is 7.7, whereas the national average is 7.0. In terms of the deficiencies found, the only two were found to be environmental. On the other hand, the total number of fire safety deficiencies for Birchwood Plaza was nine. This was higher than the Illinois average of fire safety deficiencies which is listed at 6.5 and the national average of fire safety deficiencies at 3.3.
Based on observation, interviews and record review, Birchwood Plaza failed to safely transfer two of five residents reviewed for transfer. On March 15, 2016, according to the Department of Health and Human Services survey report of March 18, 2016, a resident was observed in the bedroom sitting in a wheelchair. A certified nursing assistant (CNA) pushed the mechanical lift up to the resident’s wheelchair. The CNA placed the loops from the sling onto the mechanical lift, moved the resident’s left leg and placed it across the right leg on the top of the bottom right part of the mechanical lift. The CNA touched the remote and raised the resident’s body approximately ½ inch up from the chair. The CNA stopped the lift and lowered the resident back down into the chair. The CNA bent down and repositioned the resident’s left leg. The CNA grabbed the remote again and there was a knock at the door. When the CNA opened the door another person asked for the lift. In short, the CNA struggled to transfer the resident who was at one time suspended in the air. The resident was fearful that she would fall. The resident asked the CNA to lower the lift so she would not be injured. At the time of this attempted transfer, the resident did not have a gait belt on that is needed during any such transfer.
In terms of staffing at Birchwood Plaza, the staffing rating is shown to be below average. The registered nurse staffing is above average. The total number of licensed nurse staff hours per resident per day at Birchwood Plaza was 50 minutes. This is substantially lower than the Illinois average of 1 hour and 33 minutes and the national average of 1 hour and 42 minutes. The registered hours per resident per day at Birchwood Plaza is 43 minutes. The national average is 51 minutes and the Illinois average is 56 minutes. The licensed practice nurse hours per resident per day is listed at only 6 minutes. This is woefully lower than the Illinois and national averages of 37 minutes and 51 minutes, respectively. Certainly there is room for improvement in this category.
Also, the total number of certified nursing assistant (CNA) hours per resident per day at Birchwood Plaza is 1 hours and 32 minutes. This was lower than both the Illinois and national averages in this category which were both in excess of 2 hours per resident per day. The physical therapy hours per resident per day at Birchwood Plaza was listed at 4 minutes, which was lower than both the Illinois and national averages in this category.
26.7% of Birchwood Plaza’s short-stay residents were re-hospitalized after a nursing home admission. This percentage was slightly higher than the Illinois average of 22.9% and the national average of 21.1% in this category. 9% of Birchwood Plaza’s short-stay residents had an outpatient emergency department visit. This percentage was lower than Illinois nursing home average of 12.1% and the U.S. average of 11.5%. 14.9% of the facility’s short-stay residents were successfully discharged to the community. This percentage was much lower than the Illinois average at 51.5% and the national average of 55% of short-stay residents who were successfully discharged to the community.
10.7% of Birchwood Plaza’s long-stay residents developed a urinary tract infection while residing there. This percentage was significantly higher than the Illinois and national averages which were both 4.8% in this category. 7.6% of Birchwood Plaza’s long-stay high-risk residents developed pressure ulcers. The Illinois average was listed at 6.3% and the national average was 5.8%. Birchwood Plaza’s long-stay residents who were diagnosed with depressive symptoms was 81.6% of its residents. This percentage was much higher than the Illinois average of 17.1% and the national average of 5.4% of long-stay residents who have shown signs of depressive symptoms. 98.6% of Birchwood Plaza’s long-stay residents were assessed and given the appropriate seasonal influenza vaccine. 98.8% of its long-stay residents were assessed and given the appropriate pneumococcal vaccine. In both of these categories, Birchwood Plaza scored higher than the Illinois and national averages.
Birchwood Plaza has not received any federal fines in the last 3 years. It is possible that Illinois may have imposed a penalty under state law, but none are listed. To search for the Illinois state penalties, there is a separate website that would allow for an independent viewing of any such fines.
Beds in the nursing home that have been approved by the federal government to participate in Medicare or Medicaid.
Shows if the nursing home participates in the Medicare, Medicaid, or both.
| Star Rating Summary | ||
| Overall Rating | Average | |
| Health Inspection Medicare assigns the star rating based on a nursing home’s weighted score from recent health inspections. More stars means fewer health risks | Average | |
| Staffing Medicare assigns the star rating based on the nursing home’s staffing hours for Registered Nurses (RNs), Licensed Practice Nurses (LPNs), Licensed Vocational Nurses (LVNs), and Nurse aides. More stars means a better level of staffing per nursing home resident | Below Average | |
| RN Staffing | Average | |
| Quality Measures Medicare assigns the star rating based on data from a select set of clinical data measures. More stars means better quality of care | Below Average |
| Description | Birchwood Plaza | Illinois Average |
| Percent of short-stay residents who self-report moderate to severe pain Lower percentages are better. | 5.7% | 10.2% |
| Percentage of SNF residents with pressure ulcers that are new or worsened Lower percentages are better. | 3.5% | Not Available |
| Percent of short-stay residents assessed and given, appropriately, the seasonal influenza vaccine Higher percentages are better. | 90.0% | 72.8% |
| Percent of short-stay residents assessed and given, appropriately, the pneumococcal vaccine Higher percentages are better. | 95.1% | 74.7% |
| Percentage of short-stay residents who got antipsychotic medication for the first time Lower percentages are better. | 7.7% | 2.1% |
| Description | Birchwood Plaza | Illinois Average |
| Percent of long-stay residents experiencing one or more falls with major injury Lower percentages are better. | 2.6% | 3.3% |
| Percent of long-stay residents with a urinary tract infection Lower percentages are better. | 9.7% | 3.1% |
| Percent of long-stay residents who self-report moderate to severe pain Lower percentages are better. | 2.9% | 4.9% |
| Percent of long-stay high-risk residents with pressure ulcers Lower percentages are better. | 8.3% | 7.6% |
| Percent of long-stay low-risk residents who lose control of their bowels or bladder Lower percentages are better. | 42.0% | 46.1% |
| Percent of long-stay residents who have or had a catheter inserted and left in their bladder Lower percentages are better. | 4.1% | 2.4% |
| Percent of long-stay residents who were physically restrained Lower percentages are better. | 0.0% | 0.3% |
| Percentage of long-stay residents whose ability to move independently worsened Lower percentages are better. | 12.2% | 16.5% |
| Percent of long-stay residents whose need for help with daily activities has increased Lower percentages are better. | 14.7% | 13.8% |
| Percent of long-stay residents who lose too much weight Lower percentages are better. | 5.4% | 6.3% |
| Percent of long-stay residents who have depressive symptoms Lower percentages are better. | 79.5% | 19.2% |
| Percentage of long-stay residents who received an antianxiety or hypnotic medication Lower percentages are better. | 13.2% | 20.2% |
| Percent of long-stay residents assessed and given, appropriately, the seasonal influenza vaccine Higher percentages are better. | 99.4% | 92.9% |
| Percent of long-stay residents assessed and given, appropriately, the pneumococcal vaccine Higher percentages are better. | 99.0% | 89.7% |
| Percent of long-stay residents who received an antipsychotic medication Lower percentages are better. | 33.7% | 18.8% |
Date of standard health inspection: 03/23/2018
Total number of health deficiencies: 9
Average number of health deficiencies in Illinois: 10.6