Over the past few years, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has placed increasing emphasis on drug regimen review (DRR) aka medication regimen review (MRR). Since 2018, skilled nursing facilities have captured one type of DRR/MRR in item N2001 (Drug Regimen Review) on PPS 5-Day MDS assessments for …
Admissions are vital to a facility. They may occur daily, or even multiple times a day, and should be a part of routine operations. However, the admission process can be cumbersome, and it is easy for staff to miss things, especially if the facility receives multiple admissions in a shift. …
Now that the MDS version 1.18.11 item sets and the Long-Term Care Facility Resident Assessment Instrument 3.0 User’s Manual v1.18.11 are in play, there are still steps that nurse assessment coordinators can take to ensure that MDS processes are as efficient as possible under the new system. These include the …
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) recently released the Long-Term Care Facility Resident Assessment Instrument (RAI) 3.0 User’s Manual version 1.18.11, and also a document outlining the draft-to-final changes and updated item sets (v.1.18.11 v5). But the updates and clarifications don’t end there. Nurse assessment coordinators (NACs) need …
Most of the changes in the MDS version 1.18.11 item sets and the Long-Term Care Facility Resident Assessment Instrument 3.0 User’s Manual v1.18.11 are resident-driven, says Jennifer LaBay, RN, RAC-MT, RAC-MTA, QCP, CRC, a curriculum development specialist with AAPACN. “More than ever, resident interviews are the primary source of MDS …
Effective International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Edition, Clinical Modification (ICD-10-CM) coding relies on meticulous clinical documentation. It’s not just about assigning codes; it’s about ensuring consistent and comprehensive documentation that substantiates every facet and the specificity of a diagnosis. This documentation should originate from a provider, that is, a physician …
The guidance to surveyors in Appendix PP of the State Operations Manual addresses behavioral health education, training, and competencies under two separate F-tags: Did the facility have sufficient staff who provide direct services and implement non-pharmacological interventions to meet the behavioral health care needs of the resident, as determined by …
The key takeaway of the Fiscal Year (FY 2024) Skilled Nursing Facility Prospective Payment System (SNF PPS) final rule, published on Aug. 7, 2023, is that the director of nursing services (DNS) will need to hit the ground running on Oct. 1, 2023, with a systematic, comprehensive, and interdisciplinary approach …
As people age, oral health often declines. Teeth can lose enamel, and gums may recede, causing tooth loss and pain. Oral health is much more than just brushing and flossing. Symptoms in a resident’s oral cavity can alert caretakers to other health issues, such as diabetes or infection. Additionally, poor …
Breathing room will be in short supply for nurse assessment coordinators (NACs) and other interdisciplinary team members who need to implement and monitor the multitude of changes to the Skilled Nursing Facility Quality Reporting Program (SNF QRP) and the Skilled Nursing Facility Value-Based Purchasing Program (SNF VBP) that are in …
