Kenosha Visiting Nurse Association Among Nation's Best

By Matthew Olson
Kenosha News

The Kenosha Visiting Nurse Association is ranked in the top 25 percent of the nation's home health-care providers.
The 2006 HomeCare Elite list, compiled by health care information company OCS, cited the top 25 percent of more than 3,400 home health agencies across the country.

The 850 agencies recognized earned their ranking based on factors of quality of care, quality improvement and financial performance over about the last two years. This was the first time this list had been assembled.

Getting that national recognition is appreciated, Kenosha VNA Chief Executive Officer Debra Hertzberg said.
"We're certainly very proud to be in that top 25 percent," Hertzberg said.

Hertzberg said the ranking also means that the agency, which celebrates its 80th anniversary next year, is meeting the needs of those it serves.

"For so long, surveyors at both the federal and state levels just evaluated paperwork to measure performances," Hertzberg said. "Now it's also based on patient outcomes and you get a clearer picture of what a home health agency is providing for a person's home."

There were some factors that Hertzberg and Chief Operating Officer Shawn Zwirgzdas felt helped the agency achieve high rankings.

"We are very committed to quality and continually striving to improve the quality of our service and that shows in these numbers," Zwirgzdas said.

Hertzberg said the association is the only local agency to achieve the ranking. Statewide, the VNA also stood out in one aspect.

"We are the last stand-alone voluntary home health agency in the state," Zwirgzdas said.

The Kenosha (VNA) also underwent a state and federal survey, which is conducted between every one and three years. Last week, that study came back deficiency-free.

"That's a very rare thing for a home health agency," Zwirgzdas said.