MDS items E0100A (Hallucinations) and E0100B (Delusions) are qualifiers for the Behavioral Symptoms and Cognitive Performance category in the nursing component of the Patient-Driven Payment Model (PDPM). Even more importantly, these conditions that form the core of E0100 (Potential Indicators of Psychosis) can indicate an acute medical condition—or result in …
A surveyor investigating a resident with multiple falls approaches a nurse and asks why the care plan wasn’t updated with the latest fall prevention interventions. The nurse tells the surveyor that she doesn’t have anything to do with the care plans and that the nurse assessment coordinator (NAC) is who …
Historically, pain is underassessed and undertreated in the geriatric population, says Liz Barlow, RN, CRRN, RAC-CT, DNS-CT, QCP, vice president of marketing at Synchrony Health Services in Louisville, KY. “Up to 75 percent of community-dwelling people over the age of 65 in the United States report experiencing chronic pain.” The …
Beneficiary notification requirements under the Medicare program can be confusing for nurse assessment coordinators (NACs) who serve as the lead Medicare nurse and other interdisciplinary team members in skilled nursing facilities (SNFs), says Carol Maher, RN-BC, RAC-MTA, RAC-MT, RAC-CTA, RAC-CT, CPC, director of education for Hansen, Hunter & Co. PC …
The role of the nurse assessment coordinator (NAC) can often be an enigma to many nursing home staff. Misunderstandings about the position abound, and NACs may find it frustrating that no one knows what they do or its true impact. One of the most common misunderstandings about the NAC’s role …
Emergencies can occur at any moment. Fires, hurricanes, snowstorms, ice storms, water main breaks, power outages, and outbreaks are just a few of the emergencies nursing homes must prepare for throughout the year. However, in September 2023, the Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) Office of Inspector General (OIG) …
The continuing expansion of the Skilled Nursing Facility Value-Based Purchasing program (SNF VBP) quality measure (QM) set is part of a multi-pronged approach by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to encourage improvements in the quality of care for nursing home residents. The SNF VBP focuses on financial …
In the Jan. 18, 2023, Quality, Safety, and Oversight (QSO) memo QSO-23-05-NH, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced plans to conduct offsite audits to assess whether nursing homes appropriately assess, document, and code diagnoses captured in MDS item I6000 (Schizophrenia (e.g., Schizoaffective and Schizophreniform Disorders)) that are …
The transition from section G to section GG on Oct. 1, 2023, also had a substantial impact on Quality Measures (QMs) and the Five-Star Quality Rating System. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released a memo in September detailing the affected QMs and the impact on the Five-Star …
On Oct. 1, 2023, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) kicked off a critical step in expanding the Skilled Nursing Facility Value-Based Purchasing program (SNF VBP) quality measure (QM) set. This expansion means that the director of nursing services (DNS) will need to work with both staff and …
