Journal
Notes from the room.
Perspective on brand, multi-location operations, and the work of building premium presence at scale. Written by the MOZART&CO. team.
-
How to choose reputation management software for senior care
What review management software does and doesn't solve for senior living operators: the features that matter, the HIPAA requirements most platforms don't cover, how to evaluate a tool, and why software alone never moves a rating.
Read → -
How to choose a real estate marketing agency for developers
A buying guide for developers comparing real estate marketing agencies. The kinds of partner on the market, what brand work actually returns on a development, the questions that sort them fast, and the red flags that cost a project a launch window.
Read → -
How to choose a senior living marketing agency
A buying guide for operators comparing senior living marketing agencies. The three kinds of partner on the market, what each one costs, the five questions that sort them fast, and the red flags that predict a wasted year.
Read → -
Senior care experience design: what it covers, what it costs, and how to evaluate a partner
An operator's guide to resident experience design in senior living: the touchpoints it covers, how it differs from branding, what drives the cost, and how to evaluate an agency that handles both marketing and the on-site experience.
Read → -
Reputation management for senior living: the operator's guide
What reputation management for senior living actually covers: reviews, listings, word-of-mouth systems, staff reviews, Care Compare data, and crisis response. The full discipline, with the monthly rhythm that keeps it working.
Read → -
The trophy icon on Nursing Home Care Compare: what it means for families, and what it doesn't
Starting September 30, 2026, some nursing homes on Medicare.gov show a gold trophy. It marks facilities that qualified for CMS's Risk-Based Survey. What that takes, why it can disappear, and the 5 questions to still ask on a tour.
Read → -
Turning the CMS High Performing Facility icon into hospital referrals
Discharge planners keep a shortlist of 4 or 5 buildings. The CMS High Performing Facility icon is a reason to get moved onto it, if someone explains it before the next discharge meeting. The one-page referral sheet, the 3-minute visit, and the quarterly follow-up.
Read → -
CMS High Performing Facility icon: what it is, who qualifies, and what to do the week you get it
Starting September 30, 2026, CMS posts a trophy icon on Nursing Home Care Compare for facilities that qualify for the Risk-Based Survey. About 12% will get it. What the icon means, how the quarterly list works, and the first 7 days of marketing it without getting burned.
Read → -
CMS Risk-Based Survey qualifying criteria: the 11 checks, explained for operators
To earn the High Performing Facility icon, a nursing home has to clear all 11 checks in Appendix A of CMS memo QSO-26-14-NH, every quarter. What each one means, which ones trip otherwise strong buildings, and the 5 disqualifiers that can convert your short survey back into a full one.
Read → -
When a nursing home loses the High Performing Facility icon: the removal plan to write before you post anything
The CMS High Performing Facility icon stays on Care Compare only while a facility remains eligible, and the list rebuilds quarterly. What removes it, how the lag between CMS and state lists works, and the 72-hour plan for pulling your marketing without a scramble.
Read →