Nursing home leaders can reference this resource to ensure that the facility’s emergency preparedness plan is current and captures an all-hazards approach to meeting the health, safety, and security needs of staff and residents during …
Toolkit for States to Mitigate COVID-19 in Nursing Homes (PDF) UPDATED (5/6/22) From https://www.cms.gov/About-CMS/Agency-Information/Emergency/EPRO/Current-Emergencies/Current-Emergencies-page
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. April 2022 updates (note: …
Five-Star, NHQI, SNF QRP, SNF VBP, and PBJ data Provider Information General information on currently active nursing homes, including number of certified beds, quality measure scores, staffing and other information used in the Five-Star Rating …
The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is taking actions to promote competition and transparency in our nation’s health care system that can improve the safety and quality of nursing homes and hospitals. The Centers for …
Last week, the AAPACN 2022 Conference was held in Las Vegas, bringing together nursing professionals for exceptional learning opportunities. One outstanding session occurred on Thursday, April 14, when representatives from the Centers for Medicare & …
An updated version of the Skilled Nursing Facility (SNF) Provider Threshold Report (PTR) is now available. The PTR is a user-requested, on demand report which enables users to obtain the status of their data submission …
You can read the blanket waivers for COVID-19 in the List of Blanket Waivers (PDF) UPDATED (4/7/2022). From https://www.cms.gov/About-CMS/Agency-Information/Emergency/EPRO/Current-Emergencies/Current-Emergencies-page
This ZIP file contains resources for surveyors conducting initial surveys under the Long-term Care Survey Process (LTCSP). It is a one-stop shop containing a multitude of reference materials that are provided to the surveyors going …
Medicare Program: Prospective Payment System and Consolidated Billing for Skilled Nursing Facilities; Quality Reporting Program and Value-Based Purchasing Program; Long-Term Care Facilities to Establish Mandatory Minimum Staffing Levels https://www.federalregister.gov/public-inspection/2022-07906/medicare-program-prospective-payment-system-and-consolidated-billing-for-skilled-nursing-facilities Press release:HHS Takes Actions to Promote …
The LTCSP Procedure Guide provides instruction on the procedural and software steps necessary for completing the LTCSP. Use the Procedure Guide for all standard surveys of SNFs and NFs, whether freestanding, distinct parts, or dually …
Antipsychotic Medication Prescribing in Long Term Care Facilities Increased in the Early Months of the COVID-19 Pandemic Issue Brief Prescriptions dispensed for antipsychotics in nursing homes and assisted living facilities increased since the beginning of …
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is taking steps to continue to protect nursing home residents’ health and safety by announcing guidance that restores certain minimum standards for compliance with CMS requirements. Restoring …
Revised Guidance for the Interim Final Rule -Medicare and Medicaid Programs; Omnibus COVID-19 Health Care Staff Vaccination — The guidance in this memorandum does not apply to the following states at this time: Alabama, Alaska, …
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 …
In this LTC DON Chat podcast, Amy Stewart, vice president of education and certification strategy for AAPACN, and Janet Feldkamp, a partner with Benesch Healthcare, discuss updates on survey and regulatory issues that skilled nursing facilities …
AHRQ has created a guide for nursing home leaders as they implement COVID-19 vaccination programs among staff members. The resource identifies important factors to consider from planning to implementation, including guidance on updating policies and …
Excerpt of press release describing the attack: NHS Management, LLC Provides Notice of Data Privacy Incident TUSCALOOSA, Ala., April 5, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — NHS Management, LLC (“NHS”) is providing notice of an event that may affect the security …
Agency releases 2021 injury, illness data WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration is initiating an enforcement program that identifies employers who failed to submit Form 300A data through the agency’s …
Three new online resources from AHRQ are available to help nursing homes adopt best practices aimed at controlling and preventing infection and improving the emotional well-being of staff and residents: Best Practices Guide for COVID-19 Infection Control …
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 available for use in strengthening local …
WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration is proposing amendments to its occupational injury and illness recordkeeping regulation, 29 CFR 1904.41. The current regulation requires certain employers to electronically submit injury and …
Residents of long-term care facilities (nursing homes) have been severely impacted by COVID-19 and are disproportionately represented in the number of COVID-19-related deaths in the United States. Data reported by nursing homes to the Centers …
JAMA Network Open Study Key Points excerpt: Findings This quality improvement study of 13 339 nursing homes found that daily variation of staffing was significantly associated with the 5-Star Survey and Quality Measures rankings. There was little …
Fiscal Year (FY) 2022 State Performance Standards System (SPSS) Guidance Memo # Admin Info: 22-06-ALL Posting Date 2022-03-10 Fiscal Year 2022 Summary CMS is releasing revisions to the process used to oversee State Survey Agency …
Interim Final Rule (IFC), CMS-3401-IFC, Additional Policy and Regulatory Revisions in Response to the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency related to Long-Term Care (LTC) Facility Testing Requirements Memo # QSO-20-38-NH REVISED Posting Date 2021-09-10 / REVISED …
Nursing Home Visitation – COVID-19 (REVISED) Memo # QSO-20-39-NH REVISED Posting Date 2021-11-12 REVISED MARCH 10, 2022 Fiscal Year 2021 Memorandum Summary • CMS is committed to continuing to take critical steps to ensure America’s …
CMS is providing clarification to recent guidance for visitation (see CMS memorandum QSO-20-39- NH REVISED 11/12/2021). While CMS cannot address every aspect of visitation that may occur, we provide additional details about certain scenarios below. …
Registration and data submission resources. PBJ QTSO Registration and Training 02-24-2022 (PDF) From https://www.cms.gov/Medicare/Quality-Initiatives-Patient-Assessment-Instruments/NursingHomeQualityInits/Staffing-Data-Submission-PBJ
US Department of Labor announces enforcement, effort for focused inspections in hospitals, nursing care facilities treating COVID-19 patients WASHINGTON – For two years, millions of the nation’s healthcare workers have been battling the coronavirus. Many have endangered themselves …
New Report published by APIC outlines actions needed to successfully battle future pandemics while fighting the rise of healthcare-associated infections ARLINGTON, Va., March 8, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — As the world enters the third year of the COVID-19 pandemic, …
Social determinants of health (SDOH) are items most long-term care professionals are familiar with, but they may not immediately recognize how the determinants affect their job. According to the Office of Disease Prevention and Health …
FACT SHEET: Protecting Seniors and People with Disabilities by Improving Safety and Quality of Care in the Nation’s Nursing Homes FEBRUARY 28, 2022 All people deserve to be treated with dignity and respect and to have …
Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices Recommended Immunization Schedule for Adults Aged 19 Years or Older — United States, 2022 Changes in the 2022 Adult Immunization Schedule Vaccine-specific changes in the 2022 immunization schedule for adults …
Nursing Home Capabilities and Collaboration to Ensure Resident Care During Emergencies Nursing homes face a broad range of challenges from public emergencies, such as emerging infectious disease outbreaks and natural disasters. To protect residents and …
Updates as of Feb. 17: Guidance streamlined Added links to guidance on testing for determining length of work restriction for healthcare personnel with SARS-CoV-2 infection or exposure to SARS-CoV-2 and for mitigating staff shortages in healthcare settings Time period …
In calendar 2020, F-tag 726 (Competent Nursing Staff) was the 35th most-cited tag nationwide—up from 41st in pre-pandemic 2019. However, as the staffing crisis continued to worsen, F726 declined to the 46th overall most-cited tag …
Memo # QSO-22-12-ALL Posting Date 2022-02-09 Fiscal Year 2022 State Obligations to Survey to the Entirety of Medicare and Medicaid Health and Safety Requirements under the 1864 Agreement Summary The 1864 Agreement is the agreement …
CMS Omnibus COVID-19 Health Care Staff Vaccination Rule- Implementation Timeline (PDF) (1/19/22) COVID-19 Health Care Staff Vaccination Requirements Infographic (PDF) (1/19/22) COVID-19 Health Care Staff Vaccination Requirements Decision Tree Graphic (PDF) (1/25/22) CMS Omnibus COVID-19 Health Care Staff …
Updates as of Feb. 2, 2022 Due to concerns about increased transmissibility of the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant, this guidance is being updated to enhance protection for healthcare personnel, residents, and visitors and to address concerns about …
Updates as of Feb. 2, 2022 Due to concerns about increased transmissibility of the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant, this guidance is being updated to enhance protection for healthcare personnel, patients, and visitors and to address concerns about …
Last month, the United States Supreme Court stayed two preliminary injunctions that hadprohibited the implementation and enforcement of the Centers for Medicare & MedicaidServices’ (CMS) healthcare staff vaccination rule in 24 states, and the U.S. …
Question: I completed a Medicare PPS assessment one day after the completion due date. What is the penalty for late MDS assessment completion? Answer: There is no financial penalty for late completion. You may possibly …
51 minute course plus training slides with notes Surveying for the New Staff Vaccination Rule – Long Term Care (LTC) – Training Menu https://qsep.cms.gov/pubs/CourseMenu.aspx?cid=0CMSSVAX_LTC or https://qsep.cms.gov/ Training Description This course provides an overview of the …
Title Fiscal Year (FY) 2022 Mission & Priorities document (MPD) – Action Memo # Admin Info 22-03-ALL Posting Date 2022-01-28 Summary The Quality, Safety & Oversight Group (QSOG) and Survey & Operations Group (SOG) remain …
These resources enable nursing home staff to track and trend COVID-19 vaccine administration data, including boosters, for both residents and staff. The tools support efficient collection of information on vaccination rates and support the coordination …
Jan 26, 2022 As part of its commitment to improve transparency and help families and caregivers find the best quality of nursing home care for their loved ones, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services …
Memo # QSO-22-10-ALL Posting Date 2022-01-25 Fiscal Year 2022 Summary • While many State Survey Agencies and Accrediting Organizations (AOs) have taken early action to implement their own surveyor vaccination requirements, national guidance is necessary …
One-page graphic flyer How to safely visit nursing homes (PDF) (01/25/22) https://www.cms.gov/About-CMS/Agency-Information/Emergency/EPRO/Current-Emergencies/Current-Emergencies-page
Jan 18, 2022 NETEC COVID-19 Webinar Series presentation: Respiratory Protection Program (RPP) for the Non-Acute Healthcare Providers. For more information on this webinar presentation, please visit https://repository.netecweb.org/items/show/1659 Respiratory Protection Program (RPP) for the Non-Acute Healthcare …
Columbia, MD – Workers in Medicare- or Medicaid-funded health-care provider organizations are now required by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to be vaccinated against COVID-19 as a condition of participation in Medicare …
National Partnership to Improve Dementia Care in Nursing Homes: Antipsychotic Medication Use Data Report (October 2021) The National Partnership to Improve Dementia Care in Nursing Homes is committed to improving the quality of care for …
Statement by CMS Administrator Chiquita Brooks-LaSure on the U.S. Supreme Court’s Decision on Vaccine Requirements January 13, 2022 “The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is extremely pleased the Supreme Court recognized CMS’ authority …
There are several great resources for facility leaders to utilize. The Society for Post-Acute and Long-term Care Medicine (AMDA) has several great resources in their COVID-19 Vaccine Education Toolkit. These resources are free to everyone, …
In this podcast, Amy Stewart, MSN, RN, DNS-MT, QCP-MT, RAC-MT, RAC-MTA, vice president of education and certification strategy for AAPACN and Dr. Karl Steinberg, president of AMDA and a longtime nursing home medical director and …
There are plenty of statistics documenting the hazard falls pose for the elderly. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has a website sharing important facts about falls. CDC notes that: One out of …
Memo # QSO-22-08-NH Posting Date 2022-01-07 Fiscal Year 2022 Summary CMS will begin posting the following information for each nursing home on the Medicare.gov Care Compare website: Weekend Staffing: The level of total nurse and …
Litigation Update for CMS Omnibus COVID-19 Health Care Staff Vaccination Interim Final Rule: Update #3: Following the Supreme Court’s decision in Missouri v. Biden on January 13, 2022, implementation and enforcement of Medicare and Medicaid Programs; Omnibus …
Transitioning Certification Functions for Changes of Ownership, Administrative Changes, and Initial Enrollment Performed by the CMS Survey and Operations Group Memo # Admin Info: 22-02-ALL Posting Date 2021-12-23 Fiscal Year 2022 Summary The Centers for …
Question: Has anyone encountered surveyors requesting consents for assist bars/enabler bars used for functional mobility not posing as a restraint per the interdisciplinary team assessment? Answer by Carol Maher, RN-BC, CPC, RAC-MT : A restraint …
Question: I am trying to find the CMS definition of elopement. What exactly do they call an elopement? Answer by Scott Heichel RN, RAC-MT, RAC-CTA, DNS-CT, QCP, ICC, IPCO: The State Operations Manual, appendix …
Question: Is there a waiting period to continue therapy services when a resident transitions from Medicare Part A to Medicare Part B therapy services? Answer by Kim Steele RN, WCC, RAC-CT, RAC-CTA: There is no …
Case Marks First Charges Brought in District of South Carolina Related to Fraudulent Vaccine Cards Columbia, South Carolina — Acting United States Attorney M. Rhett DeHart announced today that a Federal Grand Jury in Columbia returned …
Survey and Enforcement of the Vaccine Requirement for Health Care Staff in Medicare- and Medicaid-certified Providers and Suppliers Suspended While Court Ordered Injunctions are in Effect: The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) will …
Long-term care leadership often observes that the nurse assessment coordinator (NAC) role calls for detail-orientation and strong time-management and assessment skills, because these nurses must coordinate the resident assessment that drives the care plan, quality …
This tool, developed by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in partnership with the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs, includes five practice case scenarios that involve a range of ages and circumstances and may be …
The magnitude of facility-initiated discharges in nursing homes remains unknown. Many challenges exist to identifying and addressing inappropriate facility-initiated discharges, including that neither Administration for Community Living (ACL) nor Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services …
While still a small percentage of overall nursing home citations, citations at the level of immediate jeopardy (IJ) have skyrocketed since the start of the COVID-19 public health emergency, largely driven by an explosion of …
The CY 2022 Home Health Final Rule that was released on Nov. 2 finalizes the continuation of the requirement for long-term care facilities to report COVID-19 information to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention …
Question: Where can I find information on the new CMS COVID-19 vaccination requirements? Answer from Denise Winzeler, BSN, RN, LNHA, DNS-CT, QCP: CMS has developed a FAQ document regarding the Interim Final Rule that answers …
QSO-22-02-ALL Memorandum Summary CMS is announcing steps to assist State Survey Agencies (SAs) in addressing the backlog of complaint and recertification surveys. These steps include: Revising the criteria for conducting COVID-19 Focused Infection Control (FIC) …
The September 2021 Full Text of Statements of Deficiencies is chock-full of survey citations involving a facility’s failure to investigate and respond appropriately to drug diversion. For example, some surveyor notes indicate that a facility …
Announced Agency Title Component Report Number(s) October 2021 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Nursing Home Reporting of COVID-19 Data to the National Healthcare Safety Network Office of Evaluation and Inspections OEI-06-22-00030 October 2021 CMS, …
October 14, 2021 US Department of Labor proposes $83K in fines to healthcarefacility for failing to protect workers from coronavirus hazardsFollow-up inspection results in respiratory protection violations, lack of hazard assessment BLOOMINGDALE, IL – A Bloomingdale …
In this podcast, Amy Stewart, MSN, RN, DNS-MT, QCP-MT, RAC-MT, RAC-MTA, vice president of education and certification strategy for AAPACN, and Laurie Laxton, RN, BSN, CCFA, RAC-CT, IP-BC, QCP, clinical education program lead with ABILITY …
While F-tags like F600 (Free From Abuse and Neglect) directly address acts of abuse, neglect, misappropriation of resident property, exploitation, and other critical—even criminal—incidents involving residents, the substandard quality-of-care tags F608 (Reporting of Reasonable Suspicion …
Hand Hygiene, Gown and Glove Use Adherence Sept. 21, 2021 update: Monthly Reporting Plan Monthly Reporting Plan for LTCF – September 2021 (57.141) pdf icon[PDF – 80 KB] Customizable form word icon[DOCX – 50 KB] Table of …
A Resource for Providers Participating in the CDC COVID-19 Vaccination Program, Long-term Care Residents & Their Families On This Page Is medical consent required for LTC residents to receive a booster shot of Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 …
PUBLICATION DATE Sep 20, 2021 AUTHORS Allison Kolbe COVID-19 has impacted antimicrobial drug prescribing both directly, through COVID-19 treatment, and indirectly, through the reduced spread of illnesses for which antimicrobial drugs are commonly prescribed. This …
September 21, 2021 The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is making it easier to check COVID-19 vaccination rates for nursing home staff and residents with a new feature on Medicare.gov. Today’s announcement makes …
CMS’s COVID-19 Data Included Required Information From the Vast Majority of Nursing Homes, but CMS Could Take Actions To Improve Completeness and Accuracy of the Data (A-09-20-02005) Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services’ (CMS’s) COVID-19 data …
Memo # 21-07-ALL Posting Date 2021-09-03 Fiscal Year 2021 Summary To provide guidance on how the CMS Location staff will conduct Federal Monitoring Surveys (FMS) in FY2021. Admin Info 21-07-ALL (PDF) Excerpt: For FY2021, there …
An effective in-service program not only ensures competency and meets regulatory requirements, but also incorporates many learning styles and fosters the enjoyment of learning. Given the resources that a facility must dedicate to its in-service …
Civil Money Penalty Reinvestment Program (CMPRP) Overview Civil Money Penalty (CMP) Funds About Civil Money Penalty (CMP) Funds A CMP is a monetary penalty the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) may impose against …
“No one even looks at the care area assessments (CAAs) once they’re done, so why spend so much time on them?” It’s a conundrum that nurse assessment coordinators (NAC) and interdisciplinary team (IDT) members often …
Prevention and Control of Seasonal Influenza with Vaccines: Recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, United States, 2021–22 Influenza Season Recommendations and Reports / August 27, 2021 / 70(5);1–28 Summary This report updates the 2020–21 …
This video [1 minute, 29 seconds] explains how to navigate the Nursing Home COVID-19 Action Network’s resources site, find the latest news, and search for materials by topic or other filters. Audio description version
Since the public health emergency began, both the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and directors of nursing services (DNSs) have been focused on infection control and prevention—and rightfully so. Yet while crisis-oriented actions …
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEAugust 18, 2021 Today, public health and medical experts from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) released the following statement on the Administration’s plan for COVID-19 booster shots for the …
Appendix PP of the State Operations Manual details the requirements for F947 (Required in-service training for nurse aides). To comply with this regulation, a facility’s nurse aide in-service training program must: Ensure competence of all …
F947, Required in-service training for nurse aides, requires that each certified nursing assistant (CNA) complete a minimum of 12 hours of in-service training per year starting on the CNA’s hire date. Nurse leaders can customize …
Question: Are there specific requirements for the use of ice packs? Answer from Denise Winzeler, BSN, RN, LNHA, DNS-CT, QCP: Although F697 does name ice packs as a non-pharmacological intervention for pain relief, I do …
F699 of the State Operations Manual (SOM) requires facilities to ensure that residents who have experienced trauma receive culturally competent, trauma-informed care (TIC) to eliminate or mitigate triggers that may cause re-traumatization of the resident. …
(OEI-01-20-00431) States’ backlogs grew substantially during the COVID-19 pandemic. Nationally, 71 percent of nursing homes (10,913 of 15,295) had gone at least 16 months without a standard survey as of May 31, 2021. By State, …
Memorandum Summary CMS is hereby removing the July 7, 2017 Memo (S&C 17-37-NH) from its guidance repository. Discussion CMS is hereby removing the July 7, 2017 Memo (S&C 17-37-NH) from its guidance repository. In that …
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention CDC offers a fact sheet on Candida Auris for infection preventionists: https://www.cdc.gov/fungal/candida-auris/fact-sheets/cdc-message-infection-experts.html For more information about this fungal pathogen and how to deal with it, see this CDC …
The Advance Beneficiary Notice of Noncoverage (ABN), Form CMS-R-131, is issued by providers (including independent laboratories, home health agencies, and hospices), physicians, practitioners, and suppliers to Original Medicare (fee for service) beneficiaries in situations where …
