The Quality Initiative


The AHCA/NCAL Quality Initiative is a national, multi-year effort to further improve quality of care in America’s long term and post-acute care centers. Since the launch of the Initiative in 2012, members have been challenged to meet measurable targets in key areas such as hospitalizations and antipsychotics usage. While significant improvements have been made, more must be done. The current phase of the effort continues to challenge providers to achieve quantitative results in four areas by March 2021. These areas are top priorities for the federal government and are aligned with federal mandates that link payment to performance.

  • Reducing trips to the hospital
  • Improving customer satisfaction
  • Improving functional outcomes, such as self-care and mobility
  • Reducing the off-label use of antipsychotic medications
  • Improving staff stability and reducing direct care staff turnover

DISCLAIMER: The AHCA/NCAL quality programs’ contents, including their goals and standards, represent some preferred practices, but do not represent minimum standards or expected norms for skilled nursing and/or assisted living providers. As always, the provider is responsible for making clinical decisions and providing care that is best for each individual person.