Focus Names ‘Ambassador’
Devoted To Resident Care
INDEX – To “assure the highest quality care,” Focus Rehab & Nursing Center today announced it has created and filled the new position of “Resident Ambassador.”
“The role of the Ambassador is to ensure the highest levels of customer satisfaction,” said Jeff Emhof, Focus administrator. “The Ambassador collaborates with all departments and staff so that every resident’s question or concern is immediately addressed.
“From the moment someone is admitted right through the discharge process and for a few days beyond she is that person’s personal liaison to all aspects and people of the organization,” Emhof said.
The ambassador, Misty Dygert, is a certified nursing assistant with extensive experience in nursing homes. She was most recently at St. Johnsville Rehabilitation & Nursing Center in St. Johnsville, where Focus Director of Nursing Bridget Seeley also had worked in the past.
“I am extremely motivated by a desire to ensure that residents and their families are completely satisfied with their care at Focus,” Dygert said. “In my short time here I have been delighted to get to know so many wonderful residents and family members. It is also a pleasure to be working with a professional like Bridget again.”
The creation of the Ambassador position parallels the role of the independent ombudsman provided by the Regional Center for Independent Living. Colleen Sullivan currently serves in that volunteer role.
Focus has also recently hired a director of quality assurance, Amy Krause, RN. Her job is to ensure continuous quality improvement through data monitoring, implementation of best practices, as well as compliance regulatory requirements for care. Ms. Krause has significant experience as a director of nursing at other facilities, and will begin service at the beginning of February. She worked with Emhof at a nearby facility in the past.
These additions are among several enhancements Focus has added in recent months. The facility continues to operate at its capacity of 174 residents/patients, with others on the waiting list.
It’s an absolute travesty that our elected leaders, and members of the nursing home LDC board sold the county on focus ventures. What a disservice to the community I’m happy that the organization is now attempting to clean up but this is how they work! The whole model of private nursing homes is to drastically cut the workforce, lower overhead, and still delivery “enough” care. Is this not what played out at the old Manor? Look up non-profit vs for-profit nursing home companies and you’ll clearly see the Quality of Care plummets with for-profit entities. I think its even more of a travesty that nobody on that committee saw the value in Bassett MC collaborating and coordinating with the contracted entity. It’s obvious no one had real healthcare experience among that group. The other company had plans to do so, but of course, Focus won on PRICE and that’s all the LDC really cared about. Now look what we have – a PR machine trying to reconcile their damaged brand and selling “resident ambassadors” as the fix. One problem – tough to hide your true business model and the smart folks in Otsego County know just what they were sold!