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Issue 37, August 20, 2002

• Best practices in documenting reasonable and necessary services

  Best practices in documenting reasonable and necessary services

Issue 27, July 8, 2002

• Survey process got you stumped?

  Survey process got you stumped?

Issue 17, May 2, 2002

• MDS Troubleshooter: Qualifying for a new benefit period

  MDS Troubleshooter: Qualifying for a new benefit period

Issue 12, December 21, 2002 - VIEW THE FULL ISSUE

• A refresher course on coding falls

  Though CMS’ guidance on how to code falls has been around for more than a year now, some...

• Lessons learned—and more to come—with the quality initiative

  Now that the Nursing Home Quality Initiative has been splashed across the front page of every...

• PPS Q&A

  “PPS Q&A” was written by Julia Hopp, MS, RN, CNAA, BC, vice president of patient...

• The thing about the swing-bed MDS

  Maybe you know of a swing-bed hospital near the nursing home where you work that’s...

Issue 11, November 21, 2002 - VIEW THE FULL ISSUE

• MDS Troubleshooter: Section H: Continence with confidence

  MDS Troubleshooter: Section H: Continence with confidence

• Beware of documentation disasters

  Follow these steps to stay out of legal difficultiesIf your facility is adding more beds or...

• MDS coordinator support groups

  How Missouri gives its MDS coordinators that extra edgeNowadays, it seems there are support groups...

• PPS Q&A

  “PPS Q&A” was written by Julia Hopp, MS, RN, CNAA, BC, vice president of patient...

• The seven fundamentals of Section M

  It’s natural for MDS coordinators to feel a little uneasy about Section M, skin condition...

Issue 10, October 21, 2002 - VIEW THE FULL ISSUE

• Become acquainted with DAVE

  Become acquainted with DAVE

• Determining when it's a significant change in status

  Determining when it’s a significant change in status

• PPS Q&A

  PPS Q&A

• The Nursing Home Quality Initiative

  You know it's a problem. General negative outlooks, horror stories, and sensationalism in the media...

• Use your judgment when it comes to restraints

  Use your judgment when it comes to restraints

Issue 9, September 21, 2002 - VIEW THE FULL ISSUE

• An MDS completion policy—your best bet for timely resident assessments

  If you’re an MDS coordinator who has trouble getting other disciplines to fill out their...

• Beware of documentation disasters

  Beware of documentation disasters

• Careplan meetings: Try an open house approach to keep residents and families h

  “I had to wait 20 minutes for this meeting.” “This time is so inconvenient for...

• Documenting skilled services by category

  Editor’s note: This article constitutes the second half of a two-part series on documenting...

• PPS Q&A

  “PPS Q&A” was written by Julia Hopp, MS, RN, CNAA, BC, vice president of patient...

• Updated: The RAI User’s Manual

  It’s the moment we’ve all been waiting for—CMS finally unveiled the...

Issue 8, August 21, 2002 - VIEW THE FULL ISSUE

• MDS Troubleshooter: Medications used for off-label purposes

  MDS Troubleshooter: Medications used for off-label purposes

• ADLs: Your role in getting good data

  According to a recent Office of Inspector General report, the activities of daily living (ADLs) in...

• Best practices in documenting reasonable and necessary services

  Editor’s note: This article constitutes part one of a two-part series on how to document...

• Introduction to ICD-9-CM coding

  Though it’s not a skill an MDS coordinator may use every day, basic knowledge in ICD-9-CM...

• PPS Q&A

  “PPS Q&A” was written by Julia Hopp, MS, RN, CNAA, BC, vice president of patient...

Issue 7, July 21, 2002 - VIEW THE FULL ISSUE

• Update on new QIs, old QIs, and the survey process

  Update on new QIs, old QIs, and the survey process

• PPS Q&A

  “PPS Q&A” was written by Julia Hopp, MS, RN, CNAA, BC, vice president of patient...

• Putting the pressure on pressure ulcer coding

  CMS updates coding procedures for M1 in latest Q&A clarificationCoding skin conditions on the...

• Survey process got you stumped?

  Read up on your crucial role as the MDS coordinatorYou may think that as an MDS...

• The MPAF form lands this month

  The when, how, and why on using the shortened MDSCMS made good on a big promise recently: To save...

Issue 6, June 21, 2002 - VIEW THE FULL ISSUE

• Get the complete wrap-up on RAPs

  Get the complete wrap-up on RAPs

• MDS Troubleshooter: Disease diagnoses don’t have to be difficult

  Don’t get sick over proper coding of Section I of the MDSIf you’re one of the lucky...

• PPS Q&A

  “PPS Q&A” was written by Julia Hopp, MS, RN, CNAA, BC, vice president of patient...

• QM project both a boon and a bane

  MDS coordinators may have more to worry about as the quality measures (QM) project heats up. After...

• Two organizations take steps to improve their MDS accuracy

  “I really believe that our MDS coordinators are the key drivers of our business, which is...

Issue 5, May 21, 2002 - VIEW THE FULL ISSUE

• Break archaic rules to treat pain

  No one in long-term care will deny that pain management is a huge issue for nursing homes. And now...

• Nursing home quality measures make the news in a big, big way

  The nursing home quality project kicked off last month with more of a bang than some providers may...

• PPS Q&A

  “PPS Q&A” was written by Julia Hopp, MS, RN, CNAA, vice president of patient...

• MDS Troubleshooter: Qualifying for a new benefit period

  The long and short of earning another 100 days of MedicareAt first glance, it may appear easy to...

• SNFs in danger of losing inpatient rehab patient referrals

  Misperceptions about payment under PPS could affect your reimbursementWhen CMS brought inpatient...

Issue 4, April 21, 2002 - VIEW THE FULL ISSUE

• MDS Troubleshooter: Counting medications for Section O

  MDS Troubleshooter: Counting medications for Section O

• Dispelling the myths of LOAs

  Most leaves are okay under Medicare guidelinesWhen a resident requests a leave of absence (LOA...

• Don’t let these sentinel events trigger falsely

  Mention the term “sentinel event” around most long-term care professionals and it will...

• MDS Troubleshooter: Oops, you missed an assessment! Now what?

  How to address MDSs that fall through the cracksIt’s a common fear that no MDS coordinator...

• Piecing together the MDS puzzle

  Remember all the elements needed to complete the pictureWhen you go about your duties as the MDS...

• PPS Q&A

  “PPS Q&A” was written by Julia Hopp, MS, RN, CNAA, vice president of patient...

• Steer clear of deficiencies under Tag #F272

  How the MDS coordinator can help the facility avoid being citedTag #F272, resident assessment, is...

• The latest scoop on QIs and survey

  There’s a lot brewing at CMS when it comes to initiatives that will affect quality...

Issue 3, March 21, 2002 - VIEW THE FULL ISSUE

• Get hip to HIPAA—now

  Prepare for upcoming privacy rules with these 10 tipsWhen someone says, “HIPAA,” do...

• PPS Q&A

  “PPS Q&A” was written by Julia Hopp, MS, RN, CNAA, vice president of patient...

• Restorative nursing programs ensure you don’t work for free

  It’s one thing to provide good restorative care—it’s something else to get paid...

• MDS Troubleshooter: Section H: Continence with confidence

  Incontinence is one of the most important areas of long-term care. Residents who experience...

Issue 2, February 21, 2002 - VIEW THE FULL ISSUE

• The thing about the swing-bed MDS

  The thing about the swing-bed MDS

• Good habits of documentation

  Understand the fundamentals for skilled coverageWith fiscal intermediaries, state regulators...

• Is the MDS process wearing you out?

  Try these tips for getting other team members’ supportFor some MDS coordinators, getting...

• MDS Troubleshooter: Medications used for off-label purposes

  How to count them and account for them in Section O of the MDSThere’s no doubt that item O4...

• PPS Q&A

  “PPS Q&A” was written by Julia Hopp, MS, RN, CNAA, vice president of patient...

• Update on new QIs, old QIs, and the survey process

  October 2002 may have seemed far away when the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS...

• Using grace days gracefully

  A reminder on when you can and when you can’tTiming and scheduling PPS assessments is one of...

Issue 1, January 21, 2002 - VIEW THE FULL ISSUE

• MDS Troubleshooter: Counting medications for Section O

  MDS Troubleshooter: Counting medications for Section O

• Documentation, assessment, and careplanning essentials

  Documentation, assessment, and careplanning essentials

• In this place, everyone is an MDS coordinator

  In this place, everyone is an MDS coordinator

• PPS Q & A

  PPS Q & A

• How should I code private-pay residents in Medicare or Medicaid beds?

  How should I code private-pay residents in Medicare or Medicaid beds?

• New and risk-adjusted QIs

  New and risk-adjusted QIs