A Week In Business

A Week In Business
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Service Achieves Rating

SALISBURY – Peninsula Home Care, a licensed and certified home health service provider headquartered on the Lower Eastern Shore, announced its Salisbury and Ocean Pines branch offices have achieved deficiency-free ratings upon completion of a major State of Maryland performance survey.

“A deficiency-free rating is a stamp of approval from the state for Peninsula Home Care,” said Nancy Bagwell, branch director, Peninsula Home Care. “It means that throughout the entire inspection process, not a single inefficiency was identified, which from my understanding is very rare. We are proud of the entire PHC team for their hard work, dedication and commitment to excellence in patient care and outcomes.”

State surveys are mandated every three years on behalf of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). CMS administers compliance procedures of Medicare health and safety standards for continuing care providers including home care agencies, hospitals, nursing homes and other facilities serving Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries. Agencies are evaluated on patient rights education, positive patient outcomes, medical error prevention, appropriate staff qualifications, emergency preparation and performance improvement data.

“The survey process includes a four-day surveillance period during which our staff and operations are closely monitored and critiqued,” said Nancy Bagwell, Peninsula Home Care branch director. “State surveyors review patient records and accompany nurses and therapists on home visits to trace the patient experience, evaluate the care being provided and examine patient outcomes. In basic terms, they are looking to confirm that the plan of care provided meets the patient’s needs.”

Open House Weekend Set

OCEAN CITY — Long & Foster Real Estate, Inc., the largest independent residential real estate company in the United States, will host a companywide open house weekend on April 26 and 27.

The event will provide an opportunity for home buyers across the Mid-Atlantic region to explore numerous properties that are available for sale in their communities.

“At Long & Foster, we are committed to making the home buying and selling experience the best possible for our customers,” said Gary Scott, president, Long & Foster Real Estate, Inc. “With the open house weekend, our real estate professionals do just that—helping sellers to showcase their homes and buyers to shop for a house while interest rates are low and home prices are affordable.”

To make the process even easier for potential buyers, loan officers with Prosperity Home Mortgage will be on site at as many Long & Foster open house locations as possible to answer questions and pre-qualify interested individuals. Representatives from Long & Foster Settlement Services and Long & Foster Insurance will also be in attendance at many locations, highlighting the total homeownership experience that comes with working with a Long & Foster real estate professional.

“We’re seeing positive trends in the economy in everything from the job market to consumer confidence, and those improvements have contributed to a growing real estate market,” said Jeffrey S. Detwiler, president and chief operating officer of The Long & Foster Companies. “With these positive economic developments, as well as low mortgage rates, it’s truly a great time for buyers and sellers to accomplish their homeownership dreams, and Long & Foster’s open house weekend presents an amazing opportunity to see first-hand what’s happening in your market.”