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Have a suggestion for a future topic? Click the link below and submit your suggestion.
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| Have You Notified Your Residents?
Click the link below to download and/or print the contact list for various agencies.
REQUIRED Agency Contact Information for Residents of LTC Facilities |
| Which Enforcement Branch is Serving You?
To provide the highest level of service, the Division of Health Care operates through four regional offices. Knowing the appropriate Enforcement Branch to contact with questions and concerns will ensure you receive maximum service in minimum time. Review links below for detailed information.
Regional Map Contact Information |
| LTC Facility Self-Reported Incidents & Complaints 
New email addresses have been established for all email communications regarding LTC Facility Self-Reported Incidents and for use by residents and the general public to report possible violations of regulatory requirements.
Each DHC Enforcement Branch has an assigned email address to receive this information. Review the map in the above article to determine the appropriate Enforcement Branch. Click Here for new email addresses and additional contact information.
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|  CMS Survey and Certification memoranda, guidance, clarifications and instructions to State Survey Agencies and CMS Regional Offices. Survey and Certification Letters |
| Kentucky's Top 10 Citations for Nursing Homes |
| Health Care Life Safety Code |
| FIND AN OMBUDSMAN
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The Kentucky LTC Ombudsman Program recently updated the LTC Ombudsman Directory. The directory includes contact information for each of the 15 districts.
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Transfer/Discharge Hearing Appeals
Please
submit your requests for transfer/discharge hearing appeals to Secretary Glisson, Cabinet for Health and Family Services by emailing:
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| Surveyor Training Website
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Enter Here
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This CMS website provides training information to include the preceptor manual, the State Operations Manual and other documents.
As always, the survey and certification process is a collaborative effort between CMS and providers. This website will allow providers the opportunity to take the same courses as surveyors.
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Division of Health Care Leadership Team
Acting Inspector General
Assistant Director
Assistant Director
Pharmacy Consultant
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Long Term Care
Provider Newsletter
October
2017
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Hello Everyone,
I know that everyone is very busy this month, so I just have a few little items of possible interest for you, based on questions received recently.
First, the list of contacts to provide to residents that was posted in a previous edition of the LTC newsletter, and possibly also sent to you by your associations, needs to have a couple of additional agencies added. As soon as I get the most recent contact information with email addresses for those agencies, I will update those lists and get them out in this newsletter and to the associations. Also, OIG is going to be ordering new resident's rights posters for all facilities, and we will be including all the contact information of the various agencies as required by the regulations on these posters. We will endeavor to have them printed in large enough script that they will be easy-to-read for your residents.
Second, if you are not already aware, CMS has come out with a template that facilities can use to assist them with developing the Facility Assessments as required by the new regulations being implemented in Phase 2, effective November 28, 2017. You are certainly not required to use this template, and are free to set up your Facility Assessment in whatever way works for you. However, it can be a very good resource if you are struggling with where to begin and what to include. Click Here to view the template. You can use the template as is, change it up as you wish, or not use it at all.
Third, the subject of federal waivers of regulatory requirements came up recently during a survey wherein the facility requested a waiver of an environmental requirement. This comes up very rarely, so I thought you might be interested in the process. There is an internal form that is to be used by the survey agency to request a waiver. It is very basic and simply includes the facility name and provider number, the regulatory requirements for which a waiver is being requested and a place for comments by the survey agency. This is sent to CMS along with the SOD/POC. CMS then either approves, approves with changes, or disapproves the waiver request. For a waiver to be approved, the facility needs to explain how it will meet the health and safety needs of the residents with this waiver in place.
Finally, we have received questions regarding crushing of medications as related to having to put each crushed pill into a different cup and administer each one separately. Here is a clarification based on consultation with our pharmacist and other agency staff: For medications which are approved to be crushed, they should be placed in separate cups and flushed after each pill is administered, when given through a tube. If the medication is given orally it is "ideal" to put them in separate cups in order to ensure which medication is taken. The facility should determine on an individual basis the best approach to better facilitate the resident taking their oral medications. If this requires putting all crushed medication in one cup, documentation related to this approach should be considered.
Well, I guess that is about all I have for today. Have a beautiful, colorful, and productive fall season. I look forward to seeing many of you soon at one of the various training sessions planned for November.
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Psychotropic Medication Use in Nursing Homes
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In November 2017, CMS will implement sweeping changes in the nursing home survey process that include major revisions in the regulation and interpretive guidelines pertaining to 483.25(l) F329, Unnecessary Drugs. For many years, CMS has imposed strict limitations on the use of antipsychotic medications, specifying they not be given to residents unless they are necessary to treat a specific condition as diagnosed and documented in the resident's clinical record. Furthermore, in the event it becomes necessary to treat a resident with an antipsychotic medication, it has been mandatory for the resident to receive gradual dose reductions as well as behavioral (or non-pharmacological) interventions, unless contraindicated, in an effort to limit or discontinue the use of those drugs.
Continue reading...
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Guidelines for Controlling Norovirus Outbreaks
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The Kentucky Department for Public Health and Office of Inspector General issue updated guidance to long-term care facilities and nursing homes for controlling Norovirus and other gastrointestinal outbreaks.
Read more...
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Letter from the LTC Ombudsman
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The regulation at 42 CFR 483.15(c)(3)(i) requires, in part, that before a facility transfers or discharges a resident, the facility must "notify the resident and the resident's representative(s) of the transfer or discharge and the reasons for the move in writing and in a language and manner they understand...." The facility must also "...send a copy of the notice to a representative of the Office of the State Long-Term Care Ombudsman."
Sending a copy of the notice to a representative of the Office of the State Long-Term Care (LTC) Ombudsman provides added protection to residents and ensures the Office of the State LTC Ombudsman is aware of facility practices and activities related to transfers and discharges. Specific requirements for transfers and discharges are outlined
here
.
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| Medicare Learning Network |
Let the Medicare Learning Network (MLN) be your home for Centers for Medicare &
Medicaid Services (CMS) education, information, and resources.
Visit the Medicare Learning Network for free educational materials for health care professionals on CMS programs, policies, and initiatives.
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| CMS Updates |
Please review the following websites for recently updated information from CMS.
SNF - QRP
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A Message from Kentucky's QIN - QIO
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The Office of Inspector General is pleased to provide information from the CMS funded QSource and atom Alliance, the Quality Innovation Network (QIN) - Quality Improvement Organizations (QIOs) for Kentucky.
Click link below
to read a message from
Kentucky's QIN-QIO:
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* Attention Long Term Care Providers *
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QIO Offers Valuable Training
The Office of Inspector General encourages you to read Kentucky's QIO announcement regarding several excellent training modules they have developed, which have been well-received by facilities for whom the QIO has provided training. If your facility has received an Immediate Jeopardy level deficiency or has been selected as a Special Focus Facility, Kentucky's QIO can provide valuable and FREE assistance and training.
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Survey Process Provider Training
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The Kentucky Office of Inspector General, CMS' designated State Survey Agency, will provide an in-depth overview of the new CMS Nursing Facility Requirements of Participation (RoP) and survey process which become fully effective November 28, 2017. Moreover, essential resources will be discussed that will assist with implementation of the updated federal Nursing Facility RoPs and the new survey process. Click here for registration information.
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Minimum Data Set (MDS) 3.0 - Basic Training
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This two day training has been scheduled for November 6-7, 2017 and is open to Kentucky providers only. The training will be held at Four Points by Sheraton, 1938 Stanton Way, Lexington, KY.
Register on the KY TRAIN website
- Search for Course ID: 1070962. Each attendee will need to register individually in order to receive credit for attending. Online registration is open until October 31, 2017.
The Kentucky Board of Nursing has approved 11.50 contact hours for RNs and LPNs. Kentucky Administrators will also receive contact hours. Participants MUST stay for the entire course in order to receive CEUs.
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Minimum Data Set (MDS) 3.0 -
Advanced Training
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This one day training has been scheduled for November 9, 2017 and is open to Kentucky providers only. The training will be held at Four Points by Sheraton, 1938 Stanton Way, Lexington, KY.
Register on the KY TRAIN website
- Search for Course ID: 1071593. Each attendee will need to register individually in order to receive credit for attending. Online registration is open until October 31, 2017.
The Kentucky Board of Nursing has approved 7.00 contact hours for RNs and LPNs. Kentucky Administrators will also receive contact hours. Participants MUST stay for the entire course in order to receive CEUs.
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ACCOMMODATIONS
FOR MDS TRAININGS
F
or overnight accommodations, contact Four Points by Sheraton at 888-627-8157 or make online reservations by clicking Basic MDS or Advanced MDS. A discounted rate is being offered to attendees under the Office of Inspector General Room Block. The cut off date for making reservations has been extended to October 28, 2017.
TRAINING CONTACT INFORMATION
Please contact Melissa Richard or Jami Biggs at 502-564-7963 for assistance with KY TRAIN or for more details about any of our training opportunities.
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MDS/RAI UPDATES
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During the previous system downtime, CMS made several updates to their applications involving MDS data.
Read more...
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MDS/RAI CONTACT INFORMATION
Jennifer Smith - MDS Assessment/Coding
Rhonda Littleton-Roe - Transmission or Technical
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