Most recent updates: June 9, 2021 CDC’s NHSN provides healthcare facilities, such as long-term care facilities (LTCFs), with a secure reporting platform for reporting outcomes and process measures in a systematic way. Reported data are immediately …
The 2021 National Impact Assessment of CMS Quality Measures Report (2021 Impact Assessment Report) has been posted on the CMS website. CMS assesses the quality and efficiency impact of endorsed measures every three years. The …
The following data sets were updated May 1 and released May 26 at https://data.cms.gov/provider-data/search?theme=Nursing%20homes%20including%20rehab%20services: FY 2021 SNF VBP Facility-Level Dataset This dataset contains facility-specific performance information for the fiscal year (FY) 2021 Skilled Nursing Facility …
COVID-19 in Nursing Homes: Most Homes Had Multiple Outbreaks and Weeks of Sustained Transmission from May 2020 through January 2021 GAO analysis of data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) shows that, …
The Five Star Preview Reports will be available on May 18, 2021. To access these reports, select the CASPER Reporting link located on the CMS QIES Systems for Providers page. Once in the CASPER Reporting …
Weekly health care personnel (HCP) & Resident COVID-19 Vaccination Weekly COVID-19 Vaccination Data Reporting Long-term care facilities can track weekly COVID-19 vaccination data for residents and healthcare personnel (HCP) through NHSN. Training Updates to Reporting …
New tool provides innovative solutions for states and facilities to protect our nation’s vulnerable nursing home residents during emergency CMS has released a Toolkit for States to Mitigate COVID-19 in Nursing Homes (PDF) UPDATED (5/25/21) developed to …
We have all struggled with a stubborn knot or tangle at some point in our lives—whether it’s your kids’ shoelaces, your earbud cord, a garden hose, or even a fishing line. If you are a …
The safety of residents is a top priority for a skilled nursing facility (SNF). But how does one promote safety in such a dynamic environment? Three critical steps the director of nursing services (DNS) and …
Summary of Recent Changes Updates as of March 29, 2021 Two prior guidance documents, “Responding to COVID-19 in Nursing Homes” and “Performing Facility-wide SARS-CoV-2 Testing in Nursing Homes” were merged with this guidance. The criteria …
NEW TRAINING AVAILABLE – Resident Mood Interview (PHQ-9) for the Skilled Nursing Facility (SNF) Setting Video Tutorial CMS Resident Mood Interview (PHQ-9) for the SNF Setting Video Tutorial The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services …
Memo # QSO-21-15-ALL Posting Date 2021-03-26 Fiscal Year 2021 Summary Burden Reduction Final Rule Interpretive Guidelines: The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is releasing interpretive guidelines and updates to Appendix Z of the …
Attention QIES Users: CMS is in compliance with disposition authority N1-440-09-03 and only retains assessment and supporting data that is less than 10 years old in the QIES National database. Therefore, assessment-based quality measures generated in …
https://www.cms.gov/how-update-nursing-home-nhskilled-nursing-facility-snf-demographic-data SNF Quality Reporting Program (QRP) quality data on Care Compare are updated on a quarterly basis. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) will be transitioning to a new data source for providers’ demographic data for all five …
Question: I have a resident who dropped off the active resident list on the MDS 3.0 Resident Level Quality Measure Report, but is still in our facility and receiving services. He was never physically discharged …
Guidance released March 10, 2021 regarding Updated Healthcare Infection Prevention and Control Recommendations in Response to COVID-19 Vaccination | CDC affects only select elements of the current Nursing Home ICAR tool until an updated version of the …
Note from staff: This lawsuit, brought by the now director of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, not only alleges problems with the discharge process, it alleges that SNFs submitted false data to …
Enforcement Memoranda Interim Enforcement Response Plan https://www.osha.gov/coronavirus/standards#temp_enforcement_guidance OSHA’s interim enforcement response plan memoranda provide instructions and guidance to Area Offices and compliance safety and health officers (CSHOs) for handling COVID-19-related complaints, referrals, and severe illness …
CMS Use of Data on Nursing Home Staffing: Progress and Opportunities To Do More (OEI-04-18-00451) The OIG has made four key recommendations related to staffing that CMS concurred with. These recommendations state that CMS should: Provide …
Note: The Access to Ombudsman information is highlighted in red in the memo, but that is what was revised in July. The new updates focus on the updated Q&As under the section, Individuals Entering and …
High nursing staff turnover in nursing homes offers important quality information Gandhi A, Yu H, Grabowski DC. Health Aff (Millwood). 2021 Prior research has found that high nursing staff turnover is associated with lower patient safety culture. …
Updated Mar. 10, 2021 Find the most recent update here: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/hcp/infection-control-after-vaccination.html CDC guidance for SARS-CoV-2 infection may be adapted by state and local health departments to respond to rapidly changing local circumstances. On this page Visitation …
NOTE: CMS revised guidance on March 10, 2021 for nursing home visitation during the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency, which supersedes the visitation guidance in this memo. See CMS memorandum QSO-20-39-NH Revised, Nursing Home Visitation-COVID-19. ————————————————————————————————- …
Mar 10, 2021 Nursing homes have been severely impacted by COVID-19, with outbreaks causing high rates of infection, morbidity, and mortality.[1] The vulnerable nature of the nursing home population, combined with the inherent risks of congregate …
Updates March 1, 2021 SNF QRP FAQs An update to the Skilled Nursing Facility (SNF) Quality Reporting Program (QRP) Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) document is now available. This document has been updated to reflect the …
The Quick Reference Guides provide high-level information on the SNF Quality Reporting Program, including frequently asked questions and helpful links. In February 2021, CMS issued a generic guide that is not based on fiscal year. …
A resource guide, written by and for directors of nursing, administrators, and other nursing home leaders, outlines steps to reduce or eliminate urgent staff shortages, particularly shortages of direct care workers. This guide is from the …
The Center for Medicare Advocacy released a new report – Geography Is Not Destiny: Protecting Nursing Home Residents from the Next Pandemic – which explores facilities’ responses to the coronavirus crisis and examines how residents’ deaths were …
ASPR TRACIE Emergency Preparedness Report: Identifying and Overcoming Healthcare Communications Vulnerabilities: Nashville, TN While the Christmas morning recreational vehicle blast outside the AT&T transmission facility in Nashville did not cause a mass fatality incident, it …
As part of our nation’s critical infrastructure, healthcare facilities large and small must be proactive and move quickly to protect themselves from cyberattacks that could directly impact the health and safety of patients and the …
The Improving Post-Acute Care Transformation Act of 2014 (IMPACT Act) requires the Secretary to specify resource use measures, on which post-acute care (PAC) providers, including skilled nursing facilities, are required to submit necessary data specified …
AHRQ has released the National Healthcare Quality and Disparities Report: Chartbook on Patient Safety 2021, which offers an overview of nonidentifiable, aggregated patient safety event and near-miss information that has been voluntarily reported by AHRQ-listed Patient Safety Organizations. …
The Five Star Preview Reports were available on February 15, 2021. To access these reports, select the CASPER Reporting link located on the CMS QIES Systems for Providers page. Once in the CASPER Reporting system, …
From AHRQ News Now: Skilled nursing facilities that tested AHRQ’s Re-Engineered Discharge (RED) toolkit found that training during weekly staff meetings was more effective than a single full-day course, according to a study published in Clinical Nursing Research. …
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 …
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is offering a web-based training course that provides an overview of the assessment and coding of the Drug Regimen Review standardized patient assessment data elements (SPADEs) found in the …
Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. 2021 AHRQ has released the Network of Patient Safety Databases (NPSD) Chartbook 2021, which offers an overview of nonidentifiable, aggregated patient safety event and near-miss information that has been voluntarily reported by …
Question: What can facility leadership do to best improve Quality Measures? Answer: It takes time and intentional effort to develop and implement processes that consistently produce quality, which is then reflected in Quality Measure …
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 …
CMS will be transitioning to a new data source for a provider’s demographic data for all five Post-Acute Care (PAC) provider types (Skilled Nursing Facilities / Nursing Facilities (SNF/NFs), Home Health Agencies (HHAs), Inpatient Rehabilitation …
Question: My Five-Star rating really changed. Where can I find the details or explanations of the changes? Answer: There have been several changes. Basically, the Five-Star system was refreshed with previous data that had …
Federal regulations require nursing homes to provide safe, individualized medication administration to residents. However, even before the COVID-19 public health emergency, many consultant pharmacists only went to nursing homes once a month for medication regimen …
Question: Do the Focused Infection Control (FIC) surveys affect my facility’s Five-Star rating? Answer: Yes, the Focused Infection Control (FIC) surveys do affect a facility’s Five-Star rating. Deficiencies cited on FIC surveys are treated slightly …
CMS released an updated Five-Star Users’ Manual on Jan. 15, 2021, announcing changes which could potentially impact your star rating with the January refresh. Here are a few highlights of the changes: CMS resumed calculating …
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 …
CMS created the Five-Star Quality Rating System to help consumers, their families, and caregivers compare nursing homes more easily. The Nursing Home Compare Web site features a quality rating system that gives each nursing home …
March 27, 2021 update: Also see CDC Interim Infection Prevention and Control Recommendations to Prevent SARS-CoV-2 Spread in Nursing Homes. This document provides a summary of considerations for use of SARS-CoV-2 (the virus that causes COVID-19) …
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is offering a web-based training course that provides an overview of the assessment and coding of pressure ulcers/injuries. This 90-minute course is intended for providers in …
From Data Elements to Quality Measures – Cross-Setting QRP Web-Based Training The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is offering a web-based training course that provides a high-level overview of how data elements within …
Infection prevention and control guidance for long-term care facilities (including NFs and SNFs) in the context of COVID-19 Interim guidance 8 January 2021 This document is an update of the guidance published on 21 March …
CMS has issued its 2020 measures under consideration (MUC) list. It includes two proposed SNF QRP QMs. The list includes more detailed info about proposed numerators, denominators, and rationales for each measure: MUC20- 0002: Skilled Nursing …
Transforming the medication regimen review process using telemedicine to prevent adverse events AHRQ News Now: Kane‐Gill SL, Wong A, Culley CM, et al. J Am Geriatr Soc. 2020;Epub Nov 25. Medication reconciliation and medication regimen reviews can reduce adverse drug …
On Dec. 4, 2020, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released an update to the Health Inspection and Quality Measure domains of the Five-Star Quality Rating System. In this Memorandum (QSO 21-06-NH), CMS also noted …
Casey, Wyden Release New Report Showing Nursing Home Rates of Death and Infection are Rising Rapidly Full report: Read the report here. Press release TO DATE, MORE THAN 104,000 RESIDENTS AND WORKERS IN LTC FACILITIES HAVE DIED …
HHS Proposes Modifications to the HIPAA Privacy Rule to Empower Patients, Improve Coordinated Care, and Reduce Regulatory Burdens The Office for Civil Rights (OCR) at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announces …
Note that there will be a related update to the Five Star Technical User’s Guide by Jan. 15, 2021. Memo # QSO-21-06-NH Posting Date 2020-12-04 Fiscal Year 2021 Summary The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid …
As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, escalating case numbers, changing visitation requirements, and isolation continue to challenge nursing facilities, staff members, and residents alike. In a recent study, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) …
The Certification and Survey Provider Enhanced Reports (CASPER) Reporting application in the Quality Improvement and Evaluation System (QIES) Assessment Submission and Processing (ASAP) system can give nurse assessment coordinators (NACs) and members of the management …
In early September, CMS announced the launch of Care Compare, which streamlined the eight original care comparison tools. While both the new Care Compare tool and the original care tools have been available for a transition period, Dec. 1, …
Question: How long does a pressure injury stay on Quality Measures (QMs)? It was captured several months ago and is now resolved. When it will come off our QMs? Answer: There are two different …
Adverse events in Italian nursing homes during the COVID-19 epidemic: a national survey Lombardo FL, Salvi E, Lacorte E, et al. Front Psychiatry. 2020 Long-term care and skilled nursing facilities are particularly vulnerable to COVID-19 infection; this …
Jiménez-Pericás F, Gea Velázquez de Castro MT, Pastor-Valero M, et al. BMJ Open. 2020;10(10):e035238. Isolation for infection prevention and control, albeit necessary, may result in unintended consequences for patients (e.g., less attention, suboptimal documentation and communication, higher risk of preventable adverse …
Writing a plan of correction that will be accepted by the state survey agency is the first half of the battle to deal with any citations that the survey team hands out on the statement …
In advance of the approaching holiday season, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is urging nursing home staff, residents and visitors to follow established guidelines for visitation and adherence to the core principles …
CMS will retire the original Compare Tools on December 1st. Use Medicare.gov’s Care Compare to find and compare health care providers. In early September, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released Care Compare on Medicare.gov, …
With so many Quality Measures originating from three different payment initiative programs, it’s a lot to keep track of. AANAC’s At A Glance QM, QRP, and VBP tool organizes all of the measures for you. …
With so many Quality Measures originating from three different payment initiative programs, it’s a lot to keep track of. AADNS’s At A Glance QM, QRP, and VBP tool organizes all of the measures for you. …
The October 2020 refresh of Nursing Home Compare (NHC) included the Skilled Nursing Facility Quality Reporting Program (SNF QRP) data for the following measures: Changes in Skin Integrity Post-Acute Care: Pressure Ulcer/Injury (reported on NHC …
Question: A resident had a Fall with Major Injury and was counted on the Significant Change MDS with the Assessment Reference Date (ARD) 5/20/20. The resident then discharged back to the community on 7/8/20. Will …
The October 2020 refresh of SNF QRP data is now available on Nursing Home Compare (NHC), as well as the Nursing homes including rehab services web pages within Care Compare (CCXP) and Provider Data Catalog (PDC). The …
Nursing homes work hard to create the most effective Quality Assurance and Performance Improvement (QAPI) programs that help support the provision of quality services for residents, but translating voluminous data into meaningful information can be …
The MDS 3.0 QM User’s Manual V14.0 has been posted. The MDS 3.0 QM User’s Manual V14.0 contains detailed specifications for the MDS 3.0 quality measures and includes a Notable Changes section that summarizes the …
Question: Are the Quality Measures (QMs) still frozen? If so, does anyone know how long they will remain frozen? Answer: Yes, the publicly reported QMs for Five-Star are currently frozen and using the 2019 …
An updated version of the SNF COVID-19 PR Tip Sheet that was posted on September 8, 2020, is now available. The purpose of this Tip Sheet is to help providers understand CMS’ public reporting strategy …
The Confidential Dry Run Reports for the Skilled Nursing Facility Healthcare-Associated Infections Requiring Hospitalizations Measure are now Available The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) would like to announce the Confidential Dry Run Reports …
COVID-19: Considerations, Strategies, and Resources for Crisis Standards of Care in Post-Acute and Long-Term Care (PALTC) Facilities is a compilation of considerations for long-term care facilities based on lessons learned during the early months of …
A systematic approach to utilizing the CASPER reports is necessary for monitoring Quality Measures, managing MDS assessments, and reimbursement. While there are numerous reports available via CASPER, AANAC’s new Guide to Key MDS-Related CASPER Reports …
Feel overwhelmed by all of the reports available on CASPER? AADNS’s new Guide to Primary CASPER Reports for the Director of Nursing Services tool highlights the primary reports of interest to the director of nursing services …
Association Between CMS Quality Ratings and COVID-19 Outbreaks in Nursing Homes — West Virginia, March 17–June 11, 2020 Summary What is already known about this topic? Nursing homes are high-risk settings for COVID-19 outbreaks. The …
Keep health workers safe to keep patients safe: WHO 17 September 2020 | GENEVA – The World Health Organization (WHO) is calling on governments and health care leaders to address persistent threats to the health and safety of …
On Sept. 8, 2020, CMS posted an updated Skilled Nursing Facility (SNF) Quality Reporting program (QRP) COVID-19 Tip Sheet and the updated SNF QRP Measure Calculations and Reporting User’s Manual V3.0.1 Addendum. Here is a high overview of …
The SNF QRP Measure Calculations and Reporting User’s Manual Version 3.0.1 addendum and associated risk adjustment appendix and Hierarchical Condition Category (HCC) crosswalks are now available. SNF-QRP-Measure-Calculations-and Reporting-User’s-Manual-V3.0.1-Addendum-Effective-10-01-2020 (ZIP) This ZIP file includes: Skilled Nursing …
Medicare and Medicaid Programs, Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA), and Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act; Additional Policy and Regulatory Revisions in Response to the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency AGENCY: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid …
National Training Program to Strengthen Nursing Home Infection Control Practices New training provides education on critical safety measures to keep residents safe The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is implementing an unprecedented voluntary national …
Training and Mentoring for Nursing Homes To further support nursing homes, the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) will be partnering with America’s nursing homes to create the National Nursing Home COVID Action Network. …
CMS will begin publicly reporting six Skilled Nursing Facility Quality Reporting Program (SNF QRP) Measures this fall during the October 2020 refresh of Nursing Home Compare: Changes in Skin Integrity Post-Acute Care: Pressure Ulcer/Injury Drug Regimen Review …
Live Q&A Sessions Advance Registration Required: Register here. Starting on August 20, using a pre-recorded, self-paced format, the new CMS-CDC Fundamentals of COVID-19 Prevention for Nursing Home Management training series will include 13 topics that nursing homes must know to manage …
1. Public Health Emergency (PHE) – Renewed Effective July 25, 2020, Secretary of Health and Human Services Alex Azar used his authority and renewed the public health emergency that was declared Jan. 27, 2020. The …
Assessing Trends Related to the Use of Psychotropic Drugs Previous OIG work found that elderly nursing home residents who were prescribed antipsychotic drugs—a type of psychotropic drug—were at risk for harm. CMS concurred with some …
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced the agency’s targeted approach to provide additional resources to nursing homes in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) hotspot areas. Specifically, CMS plans to deploy Quality Improvement Organizations …
These charts provide an update to the Comorbidity HCC groups used for the SNF QRP as covariates for the Change in Self-Care score, Change in Mobility score, Discharge Self-Care sore, and Discharge Mobility score. They …
Pink Book Series From https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/ed/webinar-epv/index.html CDC is offering a series of weekly one-hour web-on-demand videos that will provide an overview of vaccination principles, general best practices, immunization strategies, and specific information about vaccine-preventable diseases and …
3-day inpatient qualifying hospital stay waiver Benefit period ending/renewal waiver New MLN Matters article reviews in detail which residents each waiver applies to, including some useful examples for the benefit period waiver. Also provides extensive …
On January 30, 2020, CMS published the FY 2022 Skilled Nursing Facility (SNF) Quality Reporting Program (QRP) Annual Payment Update (APU) Table for Reporting Assessment-Based Measures and Standardized Patient Assessment Data Elements (SPADES). Since that time, CMS …
Changes to Staffing Information and Quality Measures Posted on the Nursing Home Compare Website and Five Star Quality Rating System due to the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency Memo #QSO 20-34-NH Posting Date 2020-06-25 Fiscal Year …
Reminder: · Quality Reporting Programs are expected to report their quality data to meet requirements starting Quarter 3, which begins July 1, 2020. The March 27, 2020 Medicare Learning Network Newsletter (MLN) Exceptions and Extensions …
On June 4, 2020, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) posted the first set of underlying coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) nursing home data. This data shows that as of May 31, 2020, about 13,600 …
On June 4, 2020, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced the release of the results from the targeted inspections announced on March 4, 2020, to allow inspectors to focus on the most …
