Long-Term Care

Conducting and coding the BIMs

MDS 3.0 Update, February 21, 2011

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The Brief Interview for Mental Status (BIMS) in Section C of the MDS 3.0 is intended to determine the resident’s attention, orientation and ability to register and recall new information. The items included in the BIMS are crucial factors in many care-planning decisions. When conducting and coding the BIMS, follows these coding tips from the RAI User’s Manual:

  • Nonsensical responses should be coded as zero.
  • Rules for stopping the BIMS before it is complete:
    • Stop the interview after completing (C0300C) “Day of the Week” if:
      • all responses have been nonsensical (i.e., any response that is unrelated, incomprehensible, or incoherent; not informative with respect to the item being rated), or
      • there has been no verbal or written response to any of the questions up to this point, or
      • there has been no verbal or written response to some questions up to this point and for all others, the resident has given a nonsensical response.
  • If the interview is stopped, do the following:
    • Code -, dash in C0400A, C0400B, and C0400C.
    • Code 99 in the summary score in C0500.
    • Code 1, yes in C0600 Should the Staff Assessment for Mental Status (C0700-C1000) be Conducted?
    • Complete the Staff Assessment for Mental Status.
  • When staff identify that the resident’s primary method of communication is in written format, the BIMS can be administered in writing. The administration of the BIMS in writing should be limited to this circumstance.
 
For more in-depth guidance on MDS 3.0 coding and processes, attend our MDS 3.0 Boot Camp. The MDS 3.0 Boot Camp is an intensive training program that focuses on accurate completion of the new MDS 3.0 assessment and links the assessment process to clinical standards of care, quality outcomes, and reimbursement.
 
Using a combination of lecture, class discussion, and exercises, this intensive, four-day course gives you:
 
  • Section-by-section guidance on MDS 3.0 completion
  • A system-wide approach to improving accuracy and the bottom line
  • Advice on how to use internal data, time management techniques, and internal review processes to reduce error rates
  • A method to benchmark the MDS process based on outcomes
 
For more information about our MDS 3.0 Boot Camp, download the brochure or call our customer service team at 800/780-0584.



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