Nursing Home Five Star Quality Rating System updates, Nursing Home Staff Counts, and Frequently Asked Questions

Nursing Home Five Star Quality Rating System updates, Nursing Home Staff Counts, and Frequently Asked Questions

Highlights of the memo;

  • Suspension of surveys will continue until further notice.
    The only surveys are those self-reported incidents that could be related to abuse or neglect/immediate jeopardy or infection control surveys.
  • Nursing Home Compare website & Nursing Home Five Star Quality Rating System:
  • The inspection domain will be frozen temporarily with the update on Wednesday, April 29th, due to the prioritization and suspension of certain surveys, to ensure the rating system reflects fair information for consumers. The Quality Measures and staffing domains will not be frozen. 
  • Posting of surveys:

           CMS will post a list of the surveys conducted after the prioritization of certain surveys, and their findings, through a link                 on the Nursing Home Compare website.

  • Nursing Home Staff:
    CMS is publishing a list of the average number of nursing and total staff that work onsite in each nursing home, each day. This information can be used to help direct adequate personal protective equipment (PPE) and
    testing to nursing homes.
  • Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ): CMS released a list of FAQs to clarify certain actions they have taken related to visitation, surveys, waivers, and other guidance.
    • PBJ information will be posted in a public file and will be used to assist with prioritization of PPE and testing supplies through the SSA.
    • CMS has stated providers can access CMP funds to help purchase communication devices to assist residents to keep in communication with their families.  Each provider will be allowed 3,000.00, you will apply
      through the CMP grant page on ALTSA.  Funds can be used to purchase devices, accessories or cleaning supplies for the devices.  Suggestion of 1 communication device per 7 residents with $3,000.00 max.
    • Communal dining – there is not a mandate stating residents are restricted to their rooms. They can eat in the dining room if you maintain social distancing, such as 1 resident per table, 6’ apart.  Any resident with active symptoms should not be eating in the main dining room.

For more information, please see QSO-20-28-NH  

Questions?

Contact:

Laura Hofmann, MSN, RN – Director of Clinical and Nursing Facility Regulatory Services
(324) 231-4804