To the editor:

As the Alfa-Kan representative, Kansas affiliate for the Assisted Living Federation Assn., I am responding to the Jan. 30 article written by Scott Rothschild and Dave Ranney. I want to know why they felt advocates are worried about the new survey process, “leading to possible coercion or collusion between inspectors and facility manager” when, in fact, the new survey increases the involvement with residents asking for feedback about the care they receive?

The new survey process is geared more toward resident care and making sure residents receive the exact care they require and ask for. Surveyors will perform thorough investigations of charts and facility. They’ll ask question while interviewing residents and families to see if they’re receiving services the facility is required to provide and if they’re satisfied. They’re told if they have a complaint they can talk to a surveyor any time without staff. So the statement that the state is “far too sensitive to the concerns of the industry and not nearly sensitive enough to the concerns of the residents” is totally inaccurate.

I would encourage Mr. Rothschild and Mr. Ranney to educate themselves about this industry. I might suggest calling the state and interviewing surveyors on the new process. What better way to learn and then make judgments than to go straight to the department and surveyors in question.

Jeanine Bahmani,

executive director,

Alfa-Kan, Olathe