Long-Term Care Survey Alert
Is Your Facility Overcoding Urinary Tract Infection In Section I2?
It may be if you haven't incorporated the January 2008 RAI manual update. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has clarified that nursing facilities should not code a urinary tract infection (UTI) at I2j if the resident doesn't have symptoms of the condition. CMS made the change in a January 2008 update to the RAI user's manual that includes numerous small clarifications affecting other sections and items. For coding UTI (p. 3-136), CMS added a sentence after the one that says, "UTI includes chronic and acute symptomatic infection(s) in the last 30 days." The added sentence reads: "Symptomatic refers to both chronic and acute infections; if symptoms are not present, do not code this item." Thus, "if the patient just has a positive urinalysis or urine culture but no symptoms, then you don't code that," explains James Marx, RN, MS, CIC, an infection control expert in San Diego. "Symptomatic can, however, include a mental status change," he adds. Another change to Section I: The update also revises the I3 title to include within the parentheses (7-day lookback except for all Quarterly Assessment forms which require a 90-day lookback). Editor's note: To review all of the changes made by the January update, go to http://www.cms.hhs.gov/NursingHomeQualityInits/Downloads/MDS20Update200801.pdf.
Long-Term Care Survey Alert
- Resident care:
Ramp Up Your Infection Control Patrol To Battle Clostridium Difficile
Beware: C. difficile-associated diarrhea has become increasingly lethal. Clostridium difficile is unfortunately living up to [...] - Clinical Care:
Pull Out All The Stops To Stop The Spread Of C. Difficile
3 good practices help you rein in infection before it's too late. To contain C. [...] - Survey Management:
Have A Plan To Manage These Critical Aspects Of The Survey
Failing to do this can land you a failing survey. Facility staff may not be [...] - Quality Improvement:
3 Must-Do Survey Tactics Can Shoo Away F Tags
This three-pronged approach will keep the facility on its toes and in the know before, [...] - MDS CODING CORNER:
Is Your Facility Overcoding Urinary Tract Infection In Section I2?
It may be if you haven't incorporated the January 2008 RAI manual update. The Centers [...] - Risk Management:
Head Off Abuse And Neglect By Identifying, Addressing Physical And Behavioral Care Burden
This systematic, creative approach will earn you kudos from surveyors. You don't need a crystal [...] - Quality of Life:
Reframe Cognitive Impairment To Help CNAs Provide Better Dementia Care
These simple steps can improve quality of life for residents and staff. Perception is everything, [...] - Survey News
The HHS secretary could end up being the final arbiter in departmental survey appeals. The [...]
