The family satisfaction scores are drawn from the results of a statewide study of the satisfaction level of family members of Michigan nursing home residents. The study was done by Great Lakes Marketing of Toledo, Ohio on behalf of the three sponsoring trade associations.

The study was performed between March and October of 2004. Invitations to participate were extended to every nursing home in the state of Michigan. Two hundred and sixty-seven Michigan nursing homes (about 61 percent of all homes in the state) participated in the study, allowing Great Lakes Marketing to send a written satisfaction survey to the family members or "responsible parties" of every resident in their care at the time they participated.

The instrument used was originally developed for a pilot study done in 1996 with a random sample of 50 Michigan nursing homes. To develop the survey instrument, Great Lakes Marketing researchers performed phone interviews with about 300 Michigan residents with a loved one in a Michigan nursing home. These interviews with family members focused on determining what factors customers think are important in defining quality care. Based on the feedback of these families, Great Lakes Marketing crafted a survey tool that measures customer satisfaction level with elements of care that customers deem important.

A copy of that tool follows this summary.

2004 Aggregate Results

The aggregate results of the survey work performed in 2004 follows.

• A total of 267 homes participated in the survey.
• More than 23,000 individual surveys were sent out between March and October 2004. Almost 10,000 completed surveys were returned to Great Lakes Marketing. This accounts for an overall response rate of 42%.
• 93% of consumers reported being satisfied with the care their loved ones were receiving in Michigan nursing homes.
• Smaller homes tended to have relatively higher satisfaction rates compared to large homes.
• Homes in the Upper Peninsula tended to score highest with an average of 96.1% satisfied and homes in Southeastern Michigan tended to score lowest with an average of 90% satisfied.

The results of the 2004 statewide study tracked very closely with the results of the smaller study, performed in 1996 and the statewide studies performed in 2000 and 2002. Information about all four studies is available upon request by calling (517) 627-1561.