10/02/2025

New SNF State Trend Reports Released for September 2025

LeadingAge members now have access to the latest Skilled Nursing Facility (SNF) State Trend Reports, reflecting federal data released in September 2025. These reports track key indicators such as occupancy, staffing, quality ratings, and financial trends across the skilled nursing sector.

Ohio-specific data is available through the Ohio SNF Trend Report, which provides a snapshot of current conditions in the state.

A high-level view of the Ohio SNF Trend Report* indicates:

1. Facility Counts & Ownership

• Ohio SNFs are overwhelmingly for-profit compared to government- or nonprofit-owned facilities.
• The number of SNFs has remained relatively stable over the past decade, with rural facilities declining slightly while urban facilities remain more concentrated.

2. Occupancy & Bed Use

• Bed supply has been steady, but resident counts have fallen — meaning occupancy rates have declined.
• Bed fill percentages (occupancy) peaked around 85–90% a decade ago, but recent data shows many facilities below that, signaling long-term census challenges.

3. Quality Ratings

• Ohio’s overall 5-Star ratings trail national averages, especially for for-profits.
• Staffing ratings are consistently weaker for for-profits compared to nonprofits and government-run facilities.
• Quality ratings (long-stay and short-stay measures) are mixed: nonprofits generally outperform for-profits.

4. Health Deficiencies

• The most common survey citations were:
• Infection control programs
• Accident hazard/supervision issues
• Food procurement/storage
• Care planning deficiencies
• For-profits received the bulk of deficiencies — over 7,900 compared to ~1,000 in nonprofits.

5. Fire Safety Deficiencies

• Leading issues: sprinkler systems, fire alarms, emergency power, and smoke barriers.
• For-profits again had the vast majority of fire safety deficiencies.

6. Staffing & Turnover

• RN and total nurse staffing levels are lower in Ohio compared to national averages.
• Turnover is high: RN turnover often exceeds 40–50%, and administrator turnover is elevated.
• Weekend staffing is especially thin across ownership types.

7. Quality Measures

• Long-stay residents:
• Persistent issues with weight loss, depression, incontinence, UTIs, and pressure ulcers.
• Vaccination rates (flu/pneumococcal) are relatively strong but still show room for improvement.
  
  
• Short-stay residents:
• High rates of readmissions and ED visits.
• Functional outcomes (return to community, self-care at discharge) are modest compared to benchmarks.
• Medication review and management show gradual improvement.

8. Enforcement

• Civil monetary penalties (fines) against SNFs in Ohio have increased, peaking at tens of millions annually.

Overall Trends:

• For-profits dominate Ohio’s SNF landscape but consistently score lower on staffing, quality, and survey outcomes.
• Occupancy continues to be a major challenge, reflecting broader national SNF census declines.
• Workforce shortages and high turnover undermine quality outcomes.
• Infection control remains the most frequent and serious deficiency, particularly after COVID.

*Trend overview generated using AI.