CDC Strategies for Optimizing the Supply of PPE and Other Equipment (12/20)

Clinical Care Solutions / COVID-19 / DNS / NAC / Post-Acute Care News / QAPI and Quality Initiatives / Survey and Regulatory Compliance

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) offers strategies for optimizing the supply of: N95 respirators Face masks Isolation gowns Eye Protection Gloves Powered Air-Purifying Respirators (PAPRs) Elastomeric respirators Ventilators https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/hcp/ppe-strategy/index.html Also see: Summary for Healthcare Facilities: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/hcp/ppe-strategy/strategies-optimize-ppe-shortages.html Summary for Healthcare Facilities: Strategies for Optimizing the Supply of N95 Respirators …

CMS QSO Memo: Enhanced Enforcement Actions Based on Nursing Home COVID-19 Data and Inspection Results (2/21)

COVID-19 / DNS / NAC / Post-Acute Care News / QAPI and Quality Initiatives / Survey and Regulatory Compliance

DATE: June 1, 2020 REVISED 01/04/2021 TO: State Survey Agency Directors FROM: Director Quality, Safety & Oversight Group SUBJECT: Revised COVID-19 Survey Activities, CARES Act Funding, Enhanced Enforcement for Infection Control deficiencies, and Quality Improvement Activities in Nursing Homes CMS is committed to taking critical steps to protect vulnerable Americans …

COVID-19 Survey Activities (3/20)

COVID-19 / DNS / NAC / Post-Acute Care News / Survey and Regulatory Compliance

For more recent information about CMS survey priorities, also see QSO memo QSO-20-31-ALL-REVISED. ————————————————————– Background  CMS is committed to taking critical steps to ensure America’s health care facilities and clinical laboratories are prepared to respond to the threat of the COVID-19 and other respiratory illness. Specifically, CMS is suspending non-emergency …

AHRQ: Treatments for Acute Pain: A Systematic Review (1/21)

Clinical Care Solutions / DNS / NAC / Post-Acute Care News / QAPI and Quality Initiatives / Survey and Regulatory Compliance

Main Points Opioids are probably less effective than nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) for surgical dental pain and kidney stone pain and might be similarly effective to NSAIDs for low back pain. Opioids might be and NSAIDs are probably more effective than acetaminophen for surgical dental pain, but opioids are probably …

Daily Clinical Rounds Tool

DNS / Survey and Regulatory Compliance / Tool

Daily clinical rounds allow the nurse leader opportunities to connect with staff and residents, gain valuable information, reinforce consistency of standards, and model clinical leadership behaviors. The AAPACN Daily Clinical Rounds tool assists the nurse leader to conduct rounds for compliance along with how to look for potential improvements for …

Policy and Procedure Review and Development Guide Tool

DNS / Survey and Regulatory Compliance / Tool

Policies and procedures are essential to the operation of your organization because they provide written structure and clarity for employees and inform all staff of the expectations for how to go about the work they do. Survey agencies review a facility’s policies and procedures as part of their investigation to …

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

Clinical Care Solutions / DNS / NAC / Post-Acute Care News / Survey and Regulatory Compliance

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 …

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

DNS / NAC / Post-Acute Care News / QAPI and Quality Initiatives / Survey and Regulatory Compliance

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

Billing and Reimbursement / MDS 3.0 and the RAI Process / NAC / Survey and Regulatory Compliance / 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 …

Q&A: Our facility is non-smoking. A small number of staff have a picnic table approximately 50 yards away from the facility where they are allowed to smoke. Do we still need a smoking policy?

DNS / Q&A / Survey and Regulatory Compliance

Q: Our facility is non-smoking.  A small number of staff have a picnic table approximately 50 yards away from the facility where they are allowed to smoke. We do not allow smoking within the facility and none of our residents smoke. That said, do we still need a “smoking policy?” …