Home Health & Hospice Week

CMS revises survey protocols. New survey rules for home health agencies will go into effect May 1, and they're likely to bring on more extended surveys. Under the new rules, a single survey finding will constitute a standard-level deficiency, explained Pat Sevast with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services at the National Association for Home Care & Hospice's annual March on Washington conference. "Because the Level 1 highest priority standards are identified as those most related to the delivery of high-quality patient care, a single problematic finding with an actual (or potential) poor outcome(s) ... would support a determination of noncompliance with a standard tag (e.g., one clinical record finding and/or one home visit finding)," say the new surveyor guidelines issued in Survey & Certification letter S&C: 11-11-HHA. "Determine if a deficiency exists, and if it does, move to a partial extended survey," the guidance instructs surveyors. Under those [...]