How to Discuss Your SNF’s Quality Measure Outcomes with External Parties

In this LTC DON Chat podcast episode, Amy Stewart, MSN, RN, DNS-MT, QCP-MT, RAC-MT, RAC-MTA, chief nursing officer for AAPACN, and Denise Winzeler, BSN, RN, LNHA, DNS-MT, QCP-MT, director of education and certification strategy for AAPACN, discuss how to have a conversation about your quality measure outcomes with external parties. …

Three iQIES Reports That the NAC Should Review Regularly for the SNF QRP

Listen to this article Your browser does not support the audio element. Under the Skilled Nursing Facility Quality Reporting Program (SNF QRP), SNFs must meet an annual 90 percent MDS submission threshold to help avoid a 2 percent cut in their annual payment update (APU) in the applicable fiscal year …

NHSN Healthcare Personnel (HCP) Flu Vaccination Module for SNF QRP Reporting

The HCP Flu Vaccination Module, which is part of the HCP component in NHSN, is used to input required NHSN data for the SNF QRP. This site provides access to the HCP Vaccination Module: Influenza Vaccination Summary Protocol, which is the primary manual for the module. In addition, it provides …

Five-Star Drama: What NACs Need to Know About the Latest QM Changes

In this LTC NAC Chat podcast episode, Amy Stewart, MSN, RN, DNS-MT, QCP-MT, RAC-MT, RAC-MTA, chief nursing officer for AAPACN, and Jessie McGill, RN, BSN, RAC-MT, RAC-MTA, senior curriculum development specialist for AAPACN, discuss recent Five-Star and quality measure changes. Additional Resources:

Long-Stay Antipsychotic Measure: Data Source and Look-Back Guide

The Long-Stay Antipsychotic Measure: Data Source and Look-Back Guide can be used by interdisciplinary teams to simplify the complex data sources and timeframes used in this measure. The tool clearly outlines numerator criteria and key exclusions, while identifying how MDS, pharmacy, and claims data contribute to calculation. Designed as a …

TIP: Antipsychotic Measure Update and Upcoming Five-Star Refresh

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released an errata document for the MDS 3.0 QM User’s Manual, changing guidance regarding public reporting of the new long stay (LS) antipsychotic measure. CMS removed the instruction that the measure would begin public reporting using Q3 2025 data as the initial …

MDS 3.0 Quality Measures (QM) User’s Manual v18.0 Effective Jan. 1, 2026 and Associated Files — Plus Errata

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is publishing an errata change table document to the Minimum Data Set (MDS) 3.0 Quality Measures (QM) User’s Manual v18.0, related to the clarification of details for the Long-Stay Antipsychotic measure in Chapter 1, Section 6. This errata is being issued to …

CMS Nursing Home Data Sets Updated

Medicare Claims Quality Measures Quality measures that are based on Medicare claims data. Each row contains a specific quality measure for a specific nursing home and includes the risk-adjusted score. Last Modified: March 1, 2026 Released: March 25, 2026 Planned Update: April 29, 2026 Download Ownership A list of ownership information for currently …

Quality Measure IQ Series: Ability to Walk Independently Worsened

Listen to this article Your browser does not support the audio element. When a long-stay resident loses the ability to walk independently, it is rarely just a functional decline. It is often the early signal of a deeper issue: an untreated condition, an environmental barrier, a missed therapy opportunity, or …