Five Star & Quality

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Social-Determinants-of Health-A-Global-Initiative
Mar 01 2024
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Social Determinants of Health (SDOH) – A Global Initiative Important to Skilled Nursing Providers

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ (CMS) Office of Mental Health report CMS Framework for Health Equity 2022 and 2032 states that health equity is defined by the attainment of the highest level of health for all people, where everyone has a fair and just opportunity to attain their optimal health regardless of race, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, socioeconomic status, geography, preferred language, or other factors that affect access to care and...
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Aug 01 2022

Stars for Staffing

Updates to the Staffing Five Star CMS released revisions to the staffing methodology in July through an updated Design for Care Compare Nursing Home Five-Star Quality Rating System: Technical Users’ Guide July 2022. The staffing star rating includes expanded from two to six compenents and introduced a new scoring calculation. The updated Five Star rating is calculated from the following six staffing measures: Case-mix adjusted total nurse (RN, LPN/LVN, aide) staffing levels (hours per resident...
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Jun 17 2022
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What’s New from CMS?

WHAT’S NEW FROM CMS? As the world tries to find a new normal, long-term care (LTC) professionals are watching what changes will come down from various White House initiatives. These initiatives to improve nursing homes include: CMS modifications for reimbursement and Continued changes related to COVID-19 reporting and care in the facilities. LTC professionals seeking to improve care, deal with staff crisis, and simple ways to implement required changes heard a recent talk by Ellen M. Berry, PT...
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May 09 2022

What’s up with the Five-Star Quality Rating System

What’s up with the Five-Star and Care Compare? The Nursing Home Compare Five-Star Quality Rating System was developed by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to assist residents and their families with information to “understand assessment of nursing home quality.”  The domains of the Five-Star Quality Rating System are State Health Inspections Staffing and Quality Measures Recently CMS upgraded and renamed Nursing Home Compare to Care Compare - but many places still refer to...
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May 30 2021
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SNF QRP Changes are Coming

The Proposed Rule for Fiscal Year (FY) 2022 for the Skilled Nursing Facility Prospective Payment System was released early April 2021. Now that providers have had a chance to digest the proposed SNF payment updates and the PDPM parity adjustment, attention turns to the quality initiatives that have been updated. Just 1 NTA point can have an average worth of anywhere from $18 to $55 per day. (difference of NE-NF and NA-NB). The SNF QRP quality initiative is a pay-for-reporting program. SNFs...
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Apr 01 2021
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The Struggle with Antipsychotic Reduction

Since CMS began to monitor antipsychotic use in 2011, skilled nursing facilities have done well to reduce the use of antipsychotic medications from the original rate of 23.9%. However, over the past few years, the rate has remained around 14%. Some facilities believe they have done everything possible and this 14% represents residents that truly need antipsychotic medications. Is your facility doing all it can to keep antipsychotic use low? What if there is a better approach? The quality...
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Jan 20 2021

Five-Star Preview: Not All Good News

The transition from Nursing Home Compare to Care Compare and unexpected Five Star Quality Rating updates brought disappointment to some Skilled Nursing Facilities. Due to the public health emergency (PHE), the rating system's three domains had previously been held constant.  Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) announced that the Five Star Quality Rating system would resume all updates with the January 2021 refresh.  At the same time, CMS also released the new Care Compare site,...
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Nov 22 2020
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Five Star Updates

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) recently released the October 2020 version of the Five-Star Quality Measure System Technical Users' Guide. It includes several revisions and updates for the Staffing, Quality Measure, and Health Inspection ratings in response to the Public Health Emergency (PHE). Health Inspection Since the Nursing Home Compare (NHC) refresh in April 2020 and until further notice, the health inspection domain of the rating system is being held constant to...
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Recent Blogs in All Topics

Apr 01 2025
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MDS Errors: Steps for Correction

What does the NAC do when they identify an error on an MDS assessment? The answer is correct the identified error. Any error that incorrectly represents the resident's status needs to be corrected. One would think correcting an MDS error would be a...
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Mar 01 2025
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RAI and MDS Compliance: The Importance of the Administrator in the Lineup

With the Minimum Data Set (MDS), the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS) created a standardized, reliable, reproducible framework for assessing long term care resident status. As a result, MDS data plays a significant role in myriad areas of...
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Feb 01 2025

Laying the Foundation – Care Area Assessments to Care Plans

Because Care Area Assessments (CAAs) are not submitted to CMS, and the Resident Assessment Instrument (RAI) manual offers little guidance on how to complete a CAA when compared to the Minimum Data Set (MDS) instructions, CAAs are a segment of the...
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Jan 01 2025

Navigating the 2025 Winds of Change: New Survey Guidance

The 2025 new year has begun with a whirlwind of changes in Long-Term Care – starting with New Surveyor Guidance. CMS released an advanced copy of these State Operations Manual Appendix PP (Guidance for Skilled Nursing Facilities) updates in a...
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Dec 01 2024
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What is an MDS Coordinator?

"What do you do for a living?" It may not surprise you that when asked this question, most MDS Coordinators struggle to come up with an answer. The reality is that MDS Coordinators fully understand what this multifaceted job entails, but are at a...
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Nov 01 2024
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From the MDS to RAI System Management

With the introduction of the Minimum Data Set (MDS) through the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (OBRA) of 1987, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS) implemented a method of standardized, comprehensive, and reproducible data collection for long...
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Oct 01 2024

Maximizing Case Mix with Special Programs: Respiratory Therapy and Restorative Nursing

Case mix is essential in skilled nursing facilities as it impacts both reimbursement and the care provided. Two key programs that significantly impact case mix scores when properly implemented and documented are Respiratory Therapy and Restorative...
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Sep 01 2024

Strategic Admissions: The Path to Optimized Medicaid Reimbursement

Medicaid reimbursement plays a significant role in the financial health of long-term care facilities, particularly those serving a high percentage of Medicaid residents. While it may not be the sole source of revenue, it is an important component...
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Aug 01 2024
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Internet Quality Improvement and Evaluation System (iQIES): A New Age

Just when we thought we had a handle on QIES (Quality Improvement and Evaluation System), the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) transitioned to the Internet Quality Improvement and Evaluation System (iQIES) in 2023.   Reports...
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Jul 01 2024
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A Significant Change in Status Assessment – There are Options

The Resident Assessment Instrument (RAI) system includes a significant change in status assessment (SCSA). What might be forgotten is the State Operation Manual (SOM), Appendix PP, includes information that mirrors the RAI manual at 42 CFR...
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Jun 01 2024
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Interim Payment Assessment (IPA) – To do or not to do?

The Patient-Driven Payment Model took effect in October of 2019. Along with this change came the optional IPA. We are now five years into this change and questions still arise on when to complete an IPA. The decision of when to complete lies with...
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May 01 2024
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Resident Interviews – What are you doing to capture the data?

Effective October 1, 2023, several resident interviews were added to or updated on the MDS. Interview items in Section A and changes to the interviews in Section D, J, and Q have been implemented. Each of the interviews can be a great steppingstone...
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Apr 01 2024
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Section GG Documentation – Questions Still Abound

Section GG remains a popular discussion topic among the Nurse Assessment Coordinator (NAC) and other members of the interdisciplinary team (IDT). Many have questioned their own practices and processes, designed to support coding this section of the...
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Mar 01 2024
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Social Determinants of Health (SDOH) – A Global Initiative Important to Skilled Nursing Providers

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ (CMS) Office of Mental Health report CMS Framework for Health Equity 2022 and 2032 states that health equity is defined by the attainment of the highest level of health for all people, where...
Keep Reading
Feb 01 2024

Trauma and the MDS – A Sneak Peak

Trauma informed care has become an area of focus for Post Acute Care providers and survey agencies. Organizations are required to provide trauma-informed care that meets “professional standards of practice and accounting for residents’ experiences...
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Jan 01 2024

New Year….Same MDS Obstacle Course

As we ring in 2024, long term care professionals are still struggling to implement the October 2023 updates to the MDS. CMS is already talking about more changes in 2024, and the anticipation continues to create anxiety amongst PAC members. While...
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Dec 01 2023
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Schizophrenia Diagnosis Audits

On January 18th, 2023, CMS announced they will be conducting off-site audits in nursing homes for assessment accuracy and coding of residents with a diagnosis of Schizophrenia. Along with auditing for appropriate diagnosis, the audits will review...
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Nov 01 2023
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OSA or PDPM? A State-Level Decision

As of Oct. 1, 2023, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has retired the A0300 Optional State Assessment (OSA) from the federally required MDS 3.0 v1.18.11 that is submitted by nursing facilities. The OSA is now a separate...
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Oct 02 2023

The Physician and “I”

The physician’s role in the nursing facility is essential to delivering skilled, quality care for Skilled and Long-Term Care residents. Physicians are our lead in providing clinical decision making and properly defining, clarifying, and verifying...
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Oct 01 2023

Coding UTIs on the MDS 3.0

Urinary Tract Infections (UTIs) are a commonly miscoded data element on the MDS. Are you over coding UTIs? Are you not coding them at all? Should you? Shouldn’t you? The MDS has historically left data collectors asking themselves these questions....
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Oct 01 2023
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Achieving Accurate ADLs with the OSA

Section G of the MDS 3.0 was retired October 1, 2023, yet the MDS nurse may still need to use the knowledge of accurately coding ADLs with an assessment called the Optional State Assessment (OSA).  State-Optioned OSA Although the option to choose...
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Jul 05 2023

What Is an MDS Coordinator?

It’s a bit odd that when asked what you do for a living most MDS coordinators struggle to come up with an answer. Who struggles to explain what they do every day? The reality is that MDS Coordinators fully understand what this multifaceted job...
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May 13 2023
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MDS 2023 Countdown Wrap-Up

This post is part of the MDS 2023 Countdown series.  Disclaimer: Current as of May 13, 2023.   What You Can Expect to See CMS released the first MDS draft item set (v1.18.11) in September 2022, which generated many questions for the long-term...
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May 13 2023
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Rx Reconciliation – New SNF QRP and QMs

This post is part of the MDS 2023 Countdown series.  Disclaimer. Current as of October 1, 2023 What You Can Expect to See The reconciled medication list will have a new documentation requirement that will go into effect with the October 1, 2023...
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May 13 2023
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Away with Q0300 and in with Q0310 – New Section Q Changes

This post is part of the MDS 2023 Countdown series.  Disclaimer. Current as of May 13, 2023 What You Can Expect to See This new Section Q update presents a key change to the wording: GOAL vs expectation. The Cambridge American Dictionary defines...
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Apr 08 2023
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Updated Entered From and Discharge Status options

This post is part of the MDS 2023 Countdown series.  Disclaimer. Current as of October 1, 2023 Section A1800 "Entered From" and A2100 "Discharged Status" have Changed One of the changes you will see when coding section A of the MDS this October 1,...
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Apr 01 2023
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Transportation – New Item A1250

This post is part of the MDS 2023 Countdown series.  Disclaimer. Current as of October 1, 2023 What You Can Expect to See An additional item we will see in the upcoming MDS 3.0 v.1.18.11 in October 2023 is A1250 - Transportation. This is included...
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Mar 24 2023
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New 3-day Lookbacks | Assessment Periods

This post is part of the MDS 2023 Countdown series.  Disclaimer. Current as of March 24, 2023 What You Can Expect to See New 3-day lookback/assessment periods are coming to the MDS world. There are different sections of the MDS that the Nurse...
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Feb 22 2023
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New Pain Interview in Section J

This post is part of the MDS 2023 Countdown series.  Disclaimer. Current as of February 22, 2023 What You Can Expect to See The most noticeable changes to Section J are evident in the pain interview, specifically questions J0510, J0520 and J0530....
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Feb 15 2023
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Section B – Hearing, Speech and Vision Changes

This post is part of the MDS 2023 Countdown series.  Disclaimer. Current as of October 1, 2023 What You Can Expect to See Section B on the MDS is a component of the Standardized Patient Assessment Data Elements (SPADEs), which is utilized across...
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