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 and Family Services
Office of Inspector General
Division of Health Care
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Long Term Care Provider Newsletter
October 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 websites for the most up-to-date news and information:
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Electronic Plan of Correction
for Certified Nursing Homes
The Electronic Plan of Correction (ePOC) application was initiated in Kentucky on June 1, 2016. The ePOC application eliminates the need for paper-based communication between Certified Nursing Home providers and the Office of Inspector General, Division of Health Care, when submitting and reviewing plans of correction. Once providers complete the ePOC enrollment process, they can begin accessing the CMS-2567 Statement of Deficiencies (SOD) and enter their Plan of Correction (POC) via the secure website created by CMS.
Kentucky currently has 162 certified nursing facilities utilizing ePOC. Participation was voluntary; however, our CMS Atlanta location has requested we no longer offer two options for submitting the POC. Therefore, it will be mandatory for all remaining Certified Nursing Homes to enroll in ePOC by January 1, 2022.
Instructions and training information links are available on the OIG website. Our staff will provide technical support to assist providers when needed to walk through process. The contact information is located in the ePOC Accounts section of this newsletter.
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Transfusion or IV Medication?
Question: My resident has been ordered to receive intravenous albumin. How should I code this on the MDS in section O?
Answer: Albumin is a plasma-derived blood product and should be coded as a transfusion in O0100I, Transfusions if all requirements are met (see page O-4 of the RAI 3.0 User’s Manual).
*Special Note: Transfusions administered during dialysis or chemotherapy would not be included in this section
Additional Resources
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MDS Training Available
Minimum Data Set training, hosted annually by the Kentucky Office of Inspector General and presented by Myers and Stauffer LC, is now available on TRAIN. This free course has been split into six webinars that review the RAI Manual with an emphasis on PDPM items:
The Kentucky Board of Nursing has approved contact hours for RNs, LPNs, and LTC Administrators upon completion, assessment, and evaluation of each session. (Please note that you must have an individual TRAIN account in order to receive credit.)
Disclaimer: The Kentucky Board of Nursing approval of an individual continuing education provider does not constitute endorsement of program content.
Please contact Melissa Richard with any questions by email or at 502-564-7963 x.3310.
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MDS Manual Errata
Changed manual pages are marked with the footer “October 2019 (R).”
The errata document begins with a table that lists all identified revisions and the pages to which they have been applied. Following the table are the actual corrected replacement pages for insertion into the printed manual.
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New Training Available
Section O: O0100. Special Procedures, Treatments, and Programs Web-Based Training for SNFs
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SNF QRP Annual Update Table for Reporting Assessment-Based QM and Standardized Patient Assessment Data Elements and Data Collection and Final Submission Deadlines Affecting FY 2024 Posted
An update to the Skilled Nursing Facility Quality Reporting Program (SNF QRP) Annual Payment Update (APU) Table for Reporting Assessment-Based quality measures (QMs) and standardized patient assessment data elements to CMS is now available. This document has been updated to reflect the data elements required to meet the APU minimum data completion threshold for FY 2024. Additionally, an update to the SNF QRP Data Collection and Final Submission Deadlines for the FY 2024 SNF QRP is available. This document has been updated to reflect the data collection and final submission deadlines required to meet the APU minimum data completion threshold for FY 2024.
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SNF QRP FAQs for FY 2022
An update to the Skilled Nursing Facility (SNF) Quality Reporting Program (QRP) Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) document is now available. This document has been updated to reflect the finalized policies for the SNF QRP in Fiscal Year (FY) 2022 and includes other useful resources available to providers.
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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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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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