ATLANTA — More nursing homes in metro Atlanta are earning top marks this year, according to the latest Best Nursing Home ratings from U.S. News & World Report.

Managing Editor and Chief of Health Analysis Ben Harder says the region saw a noticeable improvement. “We identified eight best nursing homes in Atlanta last year, and there are 13 this year, so that is an improvement,” Harder said.

The rankings evaluate facilities on a wide range of quality measures, including staff size, turnover, availability of physical therapists, patient ER visits, and nurse training levels.

Harder says nursing homes that receive a “Best” rating tend to stand out in one significant way: “The best nursing home as a group provides on average 20% more total staffing per resident than other nursing homes considering the national average.”

He says the annual report is designed to help families identify high-quality care options in their communities.

WSB Radio’s Sabrina Cupit contributed to this story.