Improving Care Through Increased Staffing Nursing home staffing has a significant impact on the quality of care that residents receive. Feedback from both nursing home staff and residents consistently highlights staffing as their primary concern. In response, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is launching a national Nursing …
The career path of a director of nursing services (DNS) is both challenging and rewarding. Long-term care nurses who choose to take on the DNS role can have success with the right resources. Part one of this blog series will focus on tips for the new DNS and how to …
Nurse assessment coordinators (NACs) who manage Medicare services typically are at least familiar enough with the beneficiary notice requirements that skilled nursing facilities (SNFs) must meet under fee-for-service (FFS) Medicare Part A to monitor those processes. “However, NACs may not always be as aware that facilities also have a responsibility …
Accurate diagnosis coding is critical in nursing facilities (NFs) for care planning, reimbursement, and quality measurement. NF coders must understand ICD-10-CM conventions, general coding guidelines, and chapter-specific coding guidelines that affect how diagnoses are assigned. Coding guidance can be found in the ICD-10-CM Official Guidelines for Coding and Reporting for FY …
Question: A resident came to our facility for a short stay with a Stage 4 pressure ulcer. The resident has since exhausted his 100 days of Medicare, became a long-term resident, and still has the Stage 4 pressure ulcer. Will this resident trigger the long-stay pressure ulcer measure? Answer from Jessie …
Question: When a resident received IV fluids (K0520A) for hydration, but did not have any calories from the fluids, do we code K0710A (Proportion of total calories the resident received through parenteral or tube feeding) as 1. 25% or less? Answer from Carol Maher, RN, GERO-BC, RAC-MTA, RAC-MT, CPC: Correct, …
Question: A resident was admitted to our facility on Medicare Part A and passed in facility after only a couple of hours. I had scheduled a 5-Day/Admission for the 7th day before she passed. How do I set up MDS assessments? I know I can’t combine the death in facility …
By Greg Seiple Navigating the complexities of healthcare, especially in post-acute care, can often feel daunting. For professionals involved in skilled nursing facilities, understanding the metrics that influence patient care is crucial. One of these key metrics is the Discharge Function Score (DFS), a valuable tool that helps gauge a …
Written by Kristine Martinez BSN, RN, RAC-CTA, QCP Completing a Minimum Data Set (MDS) correctly is no small task. With approximately 510 answers or choices on a comprehensive MDS (not including CAA investigation), and approximately530 answers or choices on a 5-day MDS, the potential for missed or miscoded information on any …
Since the COVID-19 pandemic began in 2020, the risk of developing sepsis has increased nationwide, according to the September 2024 report An Assessment of Sepsis in the United States and Its Burden on Hospital Care (Sepsis Assessment) from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ). Sepsis-related inpatient stays in …
