CMS Podcast Targets Nursing Homes in Multi-Part Series (8/19)

New Episode of CMS: Beyond The Policy is Available:   Episode 5: Nursing Home Strategy Part 1 – Strengthening Oversight The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) posted the 5th episode of the CMS: Beyond the Policy podcast which focuses on the first of the CMS’s 5-pronged strategy on strengthening …

Q&A: Does the primary diagnosis that physical therapy and occupational therapy use need to match the primary ICD-10 code used by nursing?

Question: Does the primary diagnosis that physical therapy and occupational therapy use need to match the primary ICD-10 code used by nursing?     Answer: Often confusion stems from the terms used across different disciplines. Therapists use medical and treatment diagnoses, while the SNF uses other terms, such as admission diagnosis, …

Q&A: How will the 30-day window rule work under PDPM with the new Interrupted Stay Policy?

Question: Under RUG-IV PPS, if the resident returns to a skilled level of care within 30 days the reason for skilled care would have to be something that was present/treated during the first qualifying hospital stay or developed during the skilled period. How does that work with PDPM and the Interrupted …

OIG Assessment of Nursing Home Deficiency Trends Finds Need for Improvement (5/19)

Trends in Deficiencies at Nursing Homes Show That Improvements Are Needed To Ensure the Health and Safety of Residents (A-09-18-02010) In this data brief, we analyze nursing home deficiencies that were identified by State survey agencies (State agencies) across the Nation for calendar years 2013 through 2017 (review period). This …

Responding to ADRs Tool

An Additional Development Request or Additional Documentation Request letter can cause a lot of stress in the SNF if there’s not a process in place to respond to it. Use this Responding to ADRs Tool to help your team more confidently approach medical reviews.  For permission to use or reproduce this …

Section GG Prior Function and Admission Performance Tool

When completing section GG the interdisciplinary team is required to complete an assessment of every day activity function and device use prior to the current illness or injury. The team will also need to work with the resident, family, and direct care staff to determine the resident’s usual performance in …

Q&A: How should we code a resident who is independent with eating during the day, but is total dependence for nightly tube feeding?

Question: We have a resident who is independent with eating during the day, but also is total dependence for nightly tube feeding.  Would a coding of extensive assist of one be correct?    Answer:  Please review the example in the RAI Manual on page G-11: Residents with tube feeding, TPN, …

Trauma-Informed Care Infographic (7/18)

The CDC is working with SAMHSA’s National Center for Trauma-Informed Care (NCTIC) to integrate a trauma-informed approach to public health emergencies. The infographic they developed for the approach may be useful in understanding trauma-informed care: https://www.cdc.gov/phpr/infographics/6_principles_trauma_info.htm

Potential Candidates for Restorative Program Tool

Identifying which residents are appropriate candidates for restorative nursing programs is key to helping residents attain and maintain their highest function. Use AAPACN’s Potential Candidates for Restorative Program Tool to quickly identify key triggers and prevent further decline. Interested in more restorative resources? Check out AAPACN’s Guide to a Successful …