News for MDS Experts
Check out our insightful articles and current social feed of news that’s important to MDS Coordinators.
Our Latest Articles
Care Planning to Reduce the Risk for Chemical Restraint
How can we turn care plans from an exercise in paper compliance that few staff understand, let alone review or utilize, to a workable document that helps us manage resident needs? When thinking...
From Orders to Action: Aligning Care Plans and Psychotropic Medications
Critical Element Pathways (CEPs) are tools in the Long-Term Care State Operations Manual (SOM) that are developed by Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS) and utilized by surveyors along with...
F641 in Plain English – How Interview Accuracy Protects Your CMI
When surveyors look at MDS accuracy, they’re not just checking boxes – they’re looking at whether the assessment truly reflects the resident. F641 holds the interdisciplinary team and nursing...
CMS is releasing the following guidance in Chapter 5 of the SOM: • Revisions to Immediate Jeopardy Priority Definition examples for Nursing Homes; and • Clarification of Off-site investigations.
CMS has updated and revised guidance in Chapter 7 of the SOM that includes: • Survey Team Composition, Survey Procedures, Plans of Correction, Verifying Corrections, Survey Revisit and Offsite Revisit Paper Review, Off-hours Survey, Enforcement, Nurse Staffing Waivers, Disposition of Civil Money Penalties (CMP), Federal Civil Penalties Inflation Reduction Act, Informal Dispute Resolution (IDR), and Independent Informal Dispute Resolution (IIDR); • Additionally, guidance previously found in Appendix P of the State Operations Manual has been added to Chapter 7; and • Technical changes that include updates for accurate references.
cstu.io/52475f ... See MoreSee Less
0 CommentsComment on Facebook
The March update of Appendix B to the MDS 3.0 RAI User’s Manual contains changes to the list of State RAI Coordinators, MDS Automation Coordinators, and CMS locations and contacts. To ensure accurate formatting, use a current version of Adobe Acrobat Reader to view this PDF. Web-based or mobile browser plug-ins may affect how the file is displayed.
cstu.io/220e6b
cstu.io/c9969c
cstu.io/6899d0 ... See MoreSee Less
0 CommentsComment on Facebook
Kristine Martinez BSN, RN, RAC-CT, RAC-CTA, QCP, DNS-CT and Lavatus Donaldson LPN, BPS-HIM, RAC-CT, MBA, QCP discuss successful strategies for regulatory compliance and key takeaways for nurse leaders in their article, From Coding to Compliance Avoiding Pitfalls in the 2026 MDS Landscape, featured in AAPACN.
www.aapacn.org/
cstu.io/06e624 ... See MoreSee Less
0 CommentsComment on Facebook
🎉 We’re kicking off our 2026 Education Year with AAPACN!
MDS Consultants is proud to begin our 2026 education year as an AAPACN Training Partner, starting with the QAPI Certified Professional (QCP®) Workshop in April 2026.
This nationally recognized workshop is designed to help facilities move beyond compliance and strengthen meaningful QAPI programs that truly impact resident care.
📅 QCP® | April 14–17, 2026
🖥️ Virtual | Eastern Time
🎓 15 Continuing Education Credits
🔗 Register at cstu.io/5568d2
Follow us for additional AAPACN certification opportunities throughout 2026.
#AAPACN #AAPACNTrainingPartner #QCP #QAPI #MDSConsultants #SNFEducation #LongTermCare #NurseLeadership #Compliance #QualityImprovement ... See MoreSee Less
0 CommentsComment on Facebook
Care plans should guide care—not just exist.
Small adjustments in how we write them can make a big difference in how they’re actually used by the team.
This week’s Tuesday Tip 👆
#MDS #SNF #CarePlanning #Psychotropics #LongTermCare #MDSCONSULTANTS ... See MoreSee Less
1 CommentsComment on Facebook
Let’s be honest for a second…
Are your care plans actually being used by your team… or just completed because they have to be? 👀
This month we’re digging into psychotropic medications, PRNs, and care planning—and how to move from “paper compliance” to something that actually supports care (and keeps you out of trouble).
We also included:
✔️ CMS updates you don’t want to miss
✔️ What’s changing
✔️ What to pay attention to now
If you’re in MDS, nursing leadership, or billing—you’ll want to take a look.
👉https://https://cstu.io/7e532a
#MDS #SNF #LongTermCare #CarePlanning #HealthcareCompliance ... See MoreSee Less
0 CommentsComment on Facebook
𝗣𝘀𝘆𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗺𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗯𝗮𝗰𝗸 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝗽𝗼𝘁𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 — 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘀𝘂𝗿𝘃𝗲𝘆𝗼𝗿𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗽𝗮𝘆𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻.
With the April 2025 regulatory updates and the 2026 hybrid antipsychotic quality measure, facilities are expected to take a more structured, team-based approach to medication management.
Join us on April 7 for: Manage Psychoactive Medications to Reduce Survey Headaches (Part 1)
𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻:
▪️Discuss the April 2025 regulatory updates
▪️Identify high risk psychoactive medications and indications per RAI guidelines
▪️Review elements of GDR compliance
▪️Gain strategies for monitoring psychoactive medications in SNF
This session will focus on practical application, documentation support, and team collaboration to strengthen your approach.
👥 Who should attend:
Administrators, Directors of Nursing Services, Nurse Assessment Coordinators, MDS Coordinators, Clinical Nurse Managers, and MDS Interdisciplinary Team members
👉 Register: cstu.io/fb564d
#LongTermCare #SNF #MDS #RegulatoryCompliance #SurveyReadiness #gdr #psychotropicmedications #NursingLeadership #HealthcareEducation ... See MoreSee Less
0 CommentsComment on Facebook
Did you know…🤔
Facilities with RAC-CT certified MDS coordinators are often more confident in their documentation, coding accuracy, and overall compliance.
Not because they’re doing more—but because they’re capturing what’s already there.
If your team doesn’t have a RAC-CT, it may be worth asking why.
Our next workshop is coming up in June:
learner.aapacn.org/Public/Catalog/Details.aspx?id=FRoz0qQ%2fTArjt7%2bP9cKBsw%3d%3d&returnurl=%2fU...
#RACCT #MDS #LongTermCare #SNF #SkilledNursing #HealthcareCompliance #PDPM #NurseLeadership #HealthcareEducation ... See MoreSee Less
0 CommentsComment on Facebook
This season reminds us of renewal, hope, and the joy of fresh beginnings. Happy Easter from our team here at MDS Consultants! ... See MoreSee Less
0 CommentsComment on Facebook