Thursday, August 5, 2010

Change in Nursing Home Survey Process

Nebraska Implementing QIS Process.

Nebraska is moving toward implementing the QIS (Quality Indicator
Survey) process. Nebraska is part of the second group of states in
which CMS is doing this, along with Colorado and New York. Nebraska
will begin implementing the QIS process beginning August 2010.

Compared to the current, traditional, surveying system which has
information documented on paper throughout the process, each CMS team
member will use a tablet PC to document findings. These findings will
then be electronically synthesized, organized and loaded to the CMS.
When doing onsite preparation, QIS team members will analyze
alphabetical resident censuses with room numbers and units in addition
to a list of new admissions over the last thirty days. There will also
be substantial changes to offsite preparation, the initial tour process,
sample selection, and to various other aspects of the survey process.

QIS surveys will involve two stages. Each stage will involve three
steps. Step one will be "computer generated sampling". Step two will be
"investigation". Step three will be "synthesis". The first stage will
involve a preliminary investigation of regulatory areas. The second
stage will involve an in-depth investigation into deficiencies
identified in stage one.

This system will be implemented in phases across the state, using
"teams" to do one area of the state at a time. This will take two to
two and a half years to implement fully. Because it will be more
objective, driven by MDS data, and feature large sample sizes it will
likely result in a higher rate of deficiencies in place of many "FYI"
comments surveyors presently give.

<http://www.knudsenlaw.com/Att_Bio_JRL.htm>
<http://www.knudsenlaw.com/>

Jeanelle R. Lust

Knudsen, Berkheimer, Richardson & Endacott, LLP

3800 VerMaas Pl

Suite 200

Lincoln NE 68502

402 475 7011

402 440 3731 (M)

402 475 8912 (F)

www.knudsenlaw.com

jlust@knudsenlaw.com

Managing Partner

"We help you deal with it"

No comments:

Post a Comment