The Mayer-Rothschild Foundation Designation of Excellence (DoE) in Person-Centered Long-Term Care is a recognition of your commitment to promote person-centeredness in your care community. To help you achieve this distinction, we have outlined the seven-step path from self-assessment to designation below.

Step 1: Identify Champions

Your care community will identify two champions who embrace person-centered care to serve as change agents for the community. 

Step 2: Learn About Person-Centered Care

Champions will review booklets that cover the 7 essential areas of person-centered care, including the accompanying standards and examples of supporting documents, to gain an understanding of the organizational self-assessment the community will be completing.

Step 3: Recruit Community Staff Representatives

Champions will recruit 1-2 staff representatives from each of the following categories, as applicable:

• RN/LPN
• Certified Nursing Assistant
• Social Worker
• Administrator/Leadership
• Providers (Physician, Nurse Practitioner, Physician Assistant, or Pharmacist)
• Occupational Therapist, Physical Therapist, or Speech Language Pathologist
• Recreation Therapy/Activities Staff
• Nutrition/Dining or Food Service Staff
• Environment Staff (Housekeeping, Receptionist)

Step 4: Complete Staff Organization Self-Assessment

Champions will receive an online survey link to distribute to the staff representatives to complete the organizational self-assessment. Champions and staff will have 2 weeks to complete the survey. 

Step 5: Recruit Residents to Complete Organizational Self-Assessment

Champions will recruit residents to complete the resident version of the organizational self-assessment. HIGN will provide recruitment materials that explain the purpose of the Designation and outline the options for residents to complete the survey (online or by phone). The goal is to achieve at least 10% resident participation.

Step 6: Virtual Evaluation Meeting

Once the staff and resident organizational self-assessments are complete, the assessment results will be reviewed by HIGN and a virtual meeting will be scheduled with the champions and leadership. 

• Prior to the meeting:
  • Champions will receive a list of questions to be discussed during the virtual meeting.
  • HIGN will request supporting documents based on the assessment results.
• During the meeting:
  • Organizational self-assessment results and supporting documents will be reviewed.
  • Areas of improvement identified during the assessment will be discussed.
• After the meeting:
  • HIGN staff and champions will work together to develop a quality improvement plan for areas of weakness identified through the assessment. The progress of the quality improvement plan will be reviewed periodically during the first year of the Designation.

Step 7: Receive Designation of Excellence in Person-Centered Long-Term Care

The evaluation of your organizational assessment results will determine your community’s level of Designation (Gold, Silver or Bronze). Continued progress on your community’s quality improvement plan will result in renewal of your Designation for up to 3 years.