By Lynne Adkins

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) – Three local nursing homes were awarded for giving excellent care to residents in the first ever award from Pennsylvania.

There are 713 nursing homes in Pennsylvania and 4 have been honored as the best, including Foulkeways at Gwynedd in Gwynedd, The Meadows at Shannondell in Audobon and Pennsylvania Hospital Skilled Care Center in Philadelphia.

State Department of Health spokeswoman Holli Senior says too often facilities are mentioned when they do something wrong and are rarely praised for doing things correctly.

“We really wanted to start acknowledging these facilities and pointing out they are doing an exceptional job with the hope that other facilities will strive to earn this award in future years,” says Senior.

In order to win the award for Excellence in Health Care Compliance the facilities had to have no infractions for three years.