The Transitional Skilled Unit at Lehigh Valley Hospital–17th Street is among the country’s best nursing homes according to the 2019-20 U.S. News Best Nursing Homes rankings.

The TSU achieved the highest possible overall rating and a high-performing rating for short-term rehabilitation.

Of the 39 nursing homes in the Lehigh Valley, TSU is one of three to achieve an overall rating of five out of five.

“We are humbled and honored to receive recognition from U.S. News & World Report and we’re grateful to serve our community as a premier subacute rehabilitation facility,” says Kate Huck, Administrator, Transitional Skilled Unit.

The U.S. News Best Nursing Homes report offers comprehensive information about care, safety, health inspections, staffing and more for almost all nursing homes in the country. The short-term rehabilitation rating evaluates a nursing home’s quality of post-acute care for patients recovering from a hospital stay such as after stroke, heart attack, infection or accidental injury.

“This ranking reflects Lehigh Valley Health Network’s dedication to delivering high-quality, safe and compassionate care for our patients,” says Bill Kent, president of Lehigh Valley Hospital–Cedar Crest. “TSU’s performance on the U.S. News & World Report list is a result of our colleagues’ commitment to providing an exceptional post-acute experience.”

For the 2019-20 rankings, U.S. News evaluated more than 15,000 nursing homes nationwide and 2,969 earned the designation of a U.S. News Best Nursing Home.

“For the aging population in America, a nursing home should meet the specific level of care based on the needs of each patient or resident,” said Kim Castro, editor and chief content officer of U.S. News. “The U.S. News Best Nursing Home ratings hone in on measurements like emergency room visits, quality of staff and proper distribution of medical and physical therapy to help families make an informed decision. These ratings help people and their families begin their search for senior care and should be used in consultation with a medical professional and in-depth on-site visits.