Hilo Medical Center’s Extended Care Facility achieved a coveted five-star Medicare rating — the highest possible score.
Residents and staff celebrated the ranking Tuesday with cake and ice cream, smiles, hugs, handshakes and pats on the back.
“It’s a testament to the staff — and the fact that patients themselves are feeling comfortable with the people who are taking care of them,” administrator Kerry Pitcher said.
The facility, built in the 1960s, once struggled to remain viable with a rating of just 1.5 stars when the Medicare ranking system began.
But the East Hawaii Regional Board of Hawaii Health Systems retained Extended Care because some residents with acute medical needs couldn’t safely live elsewhere.
Dr. Craig Shikuma, long-term care medical director, said dedicated job positions, focused on long-term care, helped the facility endure the necessary streamlining and thrive.
Extended Care dropped to 31 residents as of Tuesday, with parallel staff cuts via transfers to other jobs.
“Everybody that stayed here wanted to stay here, including the residents,” Pitcher said.
Clara McColgan, 82, has lived at Extended Care a couple of years and her favorite part, she said, is the ability to “go outside and enjoy the sun.” Trees and flowers on a patio await residents on sunny days.
McColgan’s stepbrother, Matthew Kaukini, rested his hands on her shoulders with love Tuesday. Their close bond has grown stronger because McColgan, who moved in after a fall, still resides at Extended Care.
As an adult, she stayed at home raising younger stepsiblings, including Kaukini.
“This is my stepsister. But I call her Mom because she raised us from small,” Kaukini said.
Now, as a family caregiver, he regularly visits to share aloha with his sister.
“This is their home,” Shikuma said. “The staff try to give a home-like environment, people that you know, smiles, saying hi.”
Extended Care staff, Pitcher said, consider residents family. And she thinks the five-star rating reassures residents they’ll get excellent care.
Many staff have been at Extended Care for 10 to 15 years.
“So, they know everything about these residents,” Pitcher said.
Medicare posts nursing home rankings for comparison at www.medicare.gov/nursinghomecompare/.
Email Jeff Hansel at jhansel@hawaiitribune-herald.com.
