Dear Nursing Home Administrator Letter: Quality Indicator Survey (QIS)

July 9, 2010

DRS/DAL # 10-07

Dear Nursing Home Stakeholder:

On August 2, 2010, the NYS Department of Health, Office of Long Term Care will initiate implementation of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Quality Indicator Survey. QIS is a computer assisted long-term care survey process used by State Survey Agencies and CMS to determine if Medicare and Medicaid certified nursing homes meet the Federal requirements. New York State is the seventeenth state to participate in the implementation of this new survey process. The first phase of implementation of QIS in NYS will begin in our Buffalo and New Rochelle regions. Full implementation of QIS is expected to take approximately two years.

A major objective of the QIS is to provide a structured approach to promote more accurate and consistent survey results across the state. This survey process will allow for larger and more diverse randomly selected samples to obtain a more accurate picture of the residents. QIS utilizes automation to systematically review regulatory areas, synthesize surveyor findings, enhance investigative protocols, and organize surveyor documentation.

QIS involves a two-staged process that surveyors will use to review specific nursing home requirements and objectively investigate any regulatory areas that are triggered. Although the survey process has been revised under the QIS, the Federal regulations and interpretive guidance remains unchanged. The QIS uses customized software (Data Collection Tool-DCT) on tablet personal computers to guide surveyors through a structured investigation.

In preparation for the statewide implementation of QIS, the Division of Residential Services invites nursing home stakeholders across the state to participate in an introductory "Stakeholder's Teleconference". The teleconference is sponsored by CMS and will provide participants with background and development information on the QIS process; an overview of the national QIS training process; description and timing of New York State QIS implementation; and comparisons of the QIS and Traditional Survey processes. The teleconference will conclude with an opportunity for all stakeholders to ask questions.

NYS Stakeholder Teleconference - QIS

  • July 19, 2010
  • 10:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
  • Dial-in number; 1 (877) 615-4337 (Alternate dial-in: 1 (847) 944-7273)
  • Confirmation number: 5682986

We encourage all providers to participate in this teleconference and look forward to successful implementation with our statewide nursing home providers.

Sincerely,

Jacqueline O. Pappalardi, Director Division of Residential Services