Hard work pays off. Ask the staff at Permian Residential Care Center after the nursing home facility was recognized as among the top of their field.

PRCC recently was honored by the state as being a Five-Star nursing home, which means it’s an elite care center among its peers.

The designation was so-noted in a story by U.S. News & World Report recently, which did an overall story on the nursing home industry. Among nursing homes in West Texas there are only two Five-Star facilities, something that stands out considering there are 14 nursing homes within 50 miles of Andrews.

The Five-Star rating is done through the government’s Medicare program, which provides funding for many residents in the state and nation. Five-Star basically means “Much Above Average,” according to PRCC Administrator Debbie Gansel who’s been at the helm there for five years now, after working her way up the ladder in different areas of the business.

Anyone around Gansel quickly feels her passion in caring for the elderly and while the administrator she’s involved from top to bottom of the goings-on at the facility, which is one of the crown-jewels of the hospital. She also knows and understands her staff and the many challenges just associated with caring for the elderly in such a close-quarters environment.

Still, Gansel’s warm, caring and enthusiastic personality evidently transcends the long hours and hard work as the staff at PRCC is notably professional, yet positive about their residents and the job they’re hired to do. Not all nursing homes have such an environment.

Gansel, who’s worked in the nursing home field since 1989, credits the nursing home’s success to the quality of personnel saying “They like working here…and it shows,” adding that unlike many nursing homes PRCC has a low employee turnover, a key ingredient in maintaining quality care and service.

Gansel, who received her degree from UTPB and thereafter completed her administrator in Training (AIT) says Andrews is blessed to have such a great facility, but she also says Andrews, too, is a great place,” commenting on the overall “can-do” attitude that exists. “It’s the best place I’ve ever been,” she added.

PRCC is currently full and has a mix of Medicaid residents and private pay residents. Gansel says that’s because of the quality. “It’s in our staff and in our facility.” There’s a waiting list to get into PRCC.

Gansel said having the facility attached to the hospital also has a lot to do with their success. It allows easier access to physicians and medical services for nursing home residents and it also results in a high reimbursement from Medicaid.

It also means the 65 employees have the same benefits as the hospital, which has translated into the low employee turnover.

The nursing home was constructed in 2004 after the former nursing home filed bankruptcy. What followed was a community-led effort to have the newly created hospital district build a first-class nursing home for the community and its elderly.

After a few early years of getting on its feet the nursing home has never looked back and shows a monthly profit. Like the hospital it’s been a major asset in attracting families to Andrews, along with the school district and other entities.

“I think Andrews is a pretty special place and we all work hard at PRCC to make them proud of this facility,” Gansel said.

Sam Kaufman

News Editor

Andrews County News