THCA Notes

Volume XXXI, Number 9
September 2016

This month’s Commitment to Care (C to C) is focusing on Member Alerts

Training for New DON’s

September 13-15
8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC)/Dept. of Aging and Disability Services (DADS)
San Antonio
Register for How to be a Successful DON in a Texas Nursing Facility

MDS RAI Manual v1.14 Now Available – Don’t forget to save a copy to your Desktop!

CMS has posted v1.14 of the Resident Assessment Instrument (RAI) Manual effective Oct. 1, 2016. This version of the MDS 3.0 RAI Manual incorporates the new Section GG: Functional Abilities and Goals, the new Part A PPS Discharge assessment, and clarifications to existing coding and transmission policy; it also addresses clarifications and scenarios concerning complex areas.

This manual comes in various formats described on the CMS MDS 3.0 RAI Manual website.

Validation Utility Tool v2.0.0 Now Available

The Validation Utility Tool (VUT) is a software utility used by MDS software developers and vendors that can be used to validate MDS 3.0 submission files in XML format. The tool enforces the edits that are mapped to the MDS 3.0 items, as published in the MDS 3.0 Data Specifications. The 2.0.0 VUT release adds support for version 2.00.0 of the MDS 3.0 Data Specifications as well as the 2.00.4 Data Specification Errata, which are effective October 1, 2016 while continuing to support all older versions previously mentioned.

Please note that there are edits, which the VUT cannot support because they are edits against existing ASAP system data. The VUT does not interface with ASAP; therefore, it cannot confirm those edits. The VUT does not currently interface with the RUG III and IV DLLs therefore; it does not recalculate and confirm that RUG values are correct.

VUT v2.0.0 is available from the QTSO MDS Vendor website.

Building Prevention Into Every Day Practice: Framework for Successful Clinical Outcomes Series – Part 3 of a 13 part series.

This is part of a series featuring one element of the Building Prevention into Every Day Practice: Framework for Successful Clinical Outcomes. The entire framework outlines key elements from both an organizational and clinical nature that are critical to successful clinical and organizational outcomes. Positively, these elements reflect common denominators that cross multiple care situations. Therefore, instead of being yet another initiative or single focused project to achieve just one outcome, it is a way of acting, thinking and being that will benefit multiple areas across an organization. Each element is addressed in detail throughout the framework.

This month THCA is featuring the element of

Organizational Foundation: Systems Driven.

Key Takeaways: Systems Driven

Improve results by focusing on performance of systems and processes.
Utilize a consistent, standardized approach.
Build in problem solving to everyday activities

Probing Questions for Team Reflection and Discussion:

How are staff supported to initiate problem solving in a timely manner?
How do we monitor the performance of our systems and processes?
Do we use a consistent, standardized approach to performance improvement?

Visit the AHCA Clinical Practice website to learn more about the element of “Organizational Foundation: Systems Driven” and answers to these key questions:

What does this mean? Why is this important? What are some examples? What is my part (as an individual employee, manager or practitioner)? What can my organization do?

Start somewhere, pick one element and work through it with your team.

Enjoy the journey through the framework!

“The Quality Initiative Series – Succeeding in the Midst of Change”

The AHCA Quality team is creating a series of FREE education Webinars which covers the best practices to help members with many of the new regulatory, payment or public reporting changes. The series is designed to provide critical support to members. It will consist of eight webinars and will start on July 27, 2016, 3 PM EST with a focus on rehospitalizations. You can register for the first webinar here.

The schedule is as follows:

September 28, 2016
2 – Discharge to Community

November 16, 2016
3 – Unintended Healthcare Outcomes

January 25, 2017
4 – Staff Stability

April 26, 2017
5 – Antipsychotic Drug Reduction

June 21, 2017
6 – Functional Outcomes

September 20, 2017
7 – Customer Satisfaction/Experience

November 15, 2017
8 – Hospital Admissions in Long Stay Settings