You're receiving this email because of your relationship with the Office of Inspector General, Division of Health Care. Thank you for your continued commitment to serving the citizens of our Commonwealth!
Cabinet for Health & Family Services
Office of Inspector General
Division of Health Care
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Long Term Care Provider Newsletter
May 2021
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The Kentucky Office of Inspector General is committed to the protection of patients and residents of healthcare facilities from the spread of infectious disease. Regarding any coronavirus (COVID-19) concerns, you may refer to the following website for the most up-to-date news and information:
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A Message from the Inspector General
On behalf of OIG, Happy Nurses Week. Nurses are a special breed of person; the profession requires a level of compassion and caring that not everyone possesses. I have seen nurses at the bedside with a dying patient so they don’t have to die alone, being the shoulder to cry on for family members, and a steady force in such scary times. Through this pandemic you have rallied your coworkers, comforted love ones, and worked long hours to ensure the needs of residents and patients are met. Thank you so much for committing yourself to this honorable calling.
Adam Mather
Inspector General
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Psychosocial Outcome Severity Guide
The purpose of the Psychosocial Outcome Severity Guide is to help determine the severity of psychosocial outcomes resulting from the identified noncompliance at a specific F tag. The Guide is used to determine the severity of a deficiency in any regulatory grouping (e.g., Quality of Care, Quality of Life) that resulted in a negative psychosocial outcome.
The Guide is not intended to replace the current scope and severity grid, but rather it is intended to be used in conjunction with the scope and severity grid to determine the severity of outcomes to each resident involved in a deficiency that has resulted in a psychosocial outcome. The level of severity for the deficiency is based on the highest level of physical or psychosocial outcome. For example, a resident who was slapped by a staff member may experience only a minor physical outcome from the slap but suffer a greater psychosocial outcome. In this case the severity level based on the psychosocial outcome would be used as the level of severity for the deficiency.
Psychosocial outcomes (i.e., mood and behavior) may result in noncompliance with any regulatory requirement. Although a resident may experience either a negative physical outcome or a negative psychosocial outcome, some may experience or have the potential to experience both types of negative outcomes. Psychosocial outcomes and physical outcomes are equally important in determining the severity of noncompliance, and both need to be considered before assigning a severity level. The severity level assigned should reflect the most significant negative outcome or highest level of harm/potential harm.
Click HERE to continue reading.
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Q&A from your State RAI Coordinator
M1200G Application of Non-Surgical Dressings
- This category may include, but is not limited to, dry gauze dressings, dressings moistened with saline or other solutions, transparent dressings, hydrogel dressings, and dressings with hydrocolloid or hydro active particles used to treat a skin condition, compression bandages, etc. Non-surgical dressings do not include adhesive bandages (e.g., BAND- AID® bandages, wound closure strips).
- Applications of nonsurgical dressings for pressure ulcers/injuries, other than to feet, are not coded in this item. Instead, use M1200E pressure ulcer/injury care.
- Dressings do not have to be applied daily in order to be coded on the MDS assessment. If any dressing meeting the MDS definitions was applied even once during the 7-day look- back period, the assessor should check that MDS item.
Question: Can the use of thrombo-embolus deterrent (TED) stockings, compression stockings, and compression wraps used for the treatment of edema be coded in this item?
Answer: If a resident uses a compression bandage to treat a skin issue, such as for the treatment of venous leg ulcers, the use of compression bandages CAN be coded in M1200G; however, if a resident uses a compression bandage solely for the control of edema, the use of the compression bandages would NOT be not coded in M1200G.
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FREE to Kentucky Nursing Homes:
The Virtual Dementia Tour® Dementia Training Program
In January 2020, the Kentucky Office of Inspector General announced that Second Wind Dreams® (SWD®) has been approved by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to use Civil Money Penalty (CMP) funding in 125 Kentucky skilled nursing homes. The project assists nursing home staff to improve care for dementia residents by providing hands-on, experiential training using the patented Virtual Dementia Tour® (VDT®). The VDT has been scientifically proven to build a greater understanding of dementia using sensory tools and instructions.
A Second Wind Dreams Certified VDT Trainer will train designated nursing home contacts to conduct the VDT for their staff, as well as evaluate care staff and document improvements in caregiving. Once the training is complete, the nursing home may conduct the VDT as often as they like for their staff. Some choose to offer it as part of their new employee orientation. With some additional training, they can also invite family members and the public to their community to experience the VDT.
For more information and to apply:
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NEW TRAINING AVAILABLE – Cognitive & Mood Assessment Four-Course Training Series for Skilled Nursing Facility (SNF) Providers
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is offering web-based training that provides an overview of the general and key clinical considerations important for conducting standardized cognitive and mood assessments. This four-course series is designed for providers in the Skilled Nursing Facility (SNF) setting. The courses contained within this training are:
These courses can be used on-demand anywhere you can access a browser. They include interactive exercises to test your knowledge related to cognitive and mood assessments. While it is intended that the courses be completed in sequential order, you may jump directly to any topic of interest.
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LTC2Prepare Training: EP 301-Catastrophic Planning
Scheduled for June 22-23, 2021
Attend in-person or watch the live stream event
FREE CE for Administrators and Nurses
The EP301 – Catastrophic Planning conference is scheduled for June 22 and 23. The conference will be held at the University of Louisville Shelby Campus, Founders Union Building, in Louisville.
The EP 301 Conference will be held as an in-person conference and as a live stream event! Registration for this FREE conference will be available soon.
Topics will include: supporting staff resilience in the LTC setting during a disaster; communication planning; using the electronic HVA tool; It's Not if but when…The New Madrid Fault and earthquake mitigation planning and minimizing damage; catastrophic evacuation and medical surge planning, infection control, and Lessons Learned from COVID-19.
This program has been approved for Continuing Education for 10.5 participant hours by NAB/NCERS—approval #20220621-10.50-A74863-IN. This program has been approved by the Kentucky Board of Nursing for 12.6 continuing education credits through University of Louisville Hospital, provider number 4-0068-12-22-19.
CEs will be available for all learning opportunities whether in-person or on-line conferences. More information coming soon!
Need information on COVID-19? Access the website www.ltc2prepare.org for up-to-date information on COVID-19 from the Kentucky Office of Inspector General, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The Kentucky LTC Emergency Preparedness Manual and other emergency preparedness resources are available on the website as well.
For assistance for your facility username and password, contact the Help Desk at help@ltc2prepare.org
LTC2Prepare Initiative is funded through CMS Grant #2017-04-KY-0808 and the Kentucky Office of the Inspector General, Grant # PON2 723 1800000928 1.
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Kentucky's Top 10 Citations
for Nursing Homes
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Informal Appeal of Survey Findings
Interested in Serving on an IDR Panel?
Kentucky requires one member of the IDR panel to be "a person currently engaged in the provision of Long Term Care services who has no affiliation with the provider disputing a deficiency." Typically, a Long Term Care Administrator is on each IDR panel. There is no payment or travel reimbursement for an Administrator serving on a panel. Administrators will be rotated. If a Long Term Care Administrator is interested in serving on a panel, a confidentiality statement must be signed prior to the participation in the first IDR panel.
Chrystal Daugherty, IDR/IIDR Coordinator
Office of Inspector General
116 Commerce Ave.
London, KY 40744
Fax: (606) 330-2054
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MDS/RAI CONTACT INFORMATION
For questions regarding MDS Assessment, Coding, Transmission or
Please do not send any identifiable patient information through e-mail. This includes patient names, SSNs, dates of birth, or any other data items considered identifiers or Protected Health Information (PHI) under HIPAA. Please redact any PHI prior to sending.
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Is your certified nursing facility signed up for ePOC? If so, be diligent about keeping your account and password up to date. All correspondence is handled in the ePOC system, including the plan of correction. Furthermore, if there is a change in administrator, it is incumbent upon the facility to update the system.
If your facility is not signed up, see the Account Setup instructions.
Not sure if your facility has any ePOC accounts or have other questions? E-mail ePOC.Support@ky.gov or call Rhonda Littleton-Roe at 502-564-7963 x.3300.
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Have you notified your residents?
Click the link below to download and/or print the contact list for various agencies.
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Which Branch is Serving You?
To provide the highest level of service, the Division of Health Care operates through four regional offices. Knowing the appropriate Branch to contact with questions and concerns will ensure you receive maximum service in minimum time. Review links below for detailed information.
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CMS Survey and Certification memoranda, guidance, clarifications and instructions to State Survey Agencies and CMS Regional Offices.
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Transfer/Discharge Hearing Appeals
Please submit your requests for transfer/discharge hearing appeals to Secretary Eric C. Friedlander, Cabinet for Health and Family Services, by emailing:
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LTC Facility Self-Reported
Incidents & Complaints
New email addresses have been established for communications regarding LTC Facility Self-Reported Incidents and for use by residents and the general public to report possible violations of regulatory requirements. Click Here for the email addresses and additional contact information.
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Quality, Safety & Education Portal
CMS's QSEP provides the full curriculum of surveyor training and guidance on health care facility regulations. All training is available on-demand on a top-notch self-service portal. 24/7 access means you have the freedom to learn what you want, where you want, when you want.
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Employment Opportunities
To search and apply for positions within the Office of Inspector General, please visit the Kentucky Personnel Cabinet's web page by clicking below.
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DHC Leadership Team:
Inspector General
Deputy Inspector General
Director
Assistant Director
Assistant Director
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Want to Sign Up for This Newsletter?
If you have received a copy of this newsletter from a friend or co-worker, you can click here and enter your information to join our mailing list, or contact MelissaD.Richard@ky.gov.
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Commonwealth of Kentucky | Office of Inspector General | 275 East Main St., Frankfort, KY 40621 |
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The Office of Inspector General is the regulatory and licensing agency for all health care, day care and long-term care facilities and child adoption/child-placing agencies in the commonwealth.
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